Cutlass V1
by Queen-Cocaine
Summary: AU James Potter and friends are on a mission to find his sister. To get to her first they have to encounter Captain Lily Evans and her crew of female pirates.
1. Prologue

_Hello Darlings! Lady Topaz here with my new story about one of my favourite HP couples Lily an James. It is AU set I guess kind of in the past when Pirates were about. I got his idea when listening to 'Rich Girl' by Gwen Stefani. Great Song. Anyways review and tell me what you think. This is only the prologue but more should be coming soon. _

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise, i don't even own the song I got this idea off. None of the recognised parts of this Fanfic belong to me but the rest does and some OCs do. **_

Prologue

Lord James Harold Potter was not a coward. On the contrary, whilst he was ten he climbed the tallest tree in the estate to rescue his little sister's black cat which had climbed up there, despite the superstitions of black cats being bad luck. That turned to out be in this case. He fell, broke his arm and knocked himself unconscious for three days while the cat climbed down to safety but in his opinion it was worth it just to see the grin on Alexia's face.

James Potter was not a coward and he would do anything for his little sister. So when he got the news from his tearful mother that Alexia had gone missing he James Potter knew that he would do anything to get his sister back, including climbing onboard the notorious pirate ship the Emerald Shadow from which Alexia was last seen.

Not the smartest thing he had ever done but then again, James Potter wasn't known for doing smart things, especially when joined by his two best friends Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. James mused on these details as he sat bound to the mastbetween Sirius and Remus on the deck of the Emerald Shadow.

The Emerald Shadow was the most feared ship on the Caribbean. Not because of the amount of murders they had committed or the loot they had stolen. The Emerald Shadow was the most feared ship because it was unknown just who ran that ship, only that every time it appeared, a women went missing.

Many a man shuddered to think of the demonic spirits upon that boat. Every time it was viewed upon the horizon daughters, wives, sisters were guarded fiercely but when the boat retreated there was always one missing. Men had attempted to track it to get the taken returned but none prevailed.

Until James Potter came looking for his little sister. Using the immense fortune left to him by his late father James studied every piece of information known on the mysterious ship until he found an answer to where the ship would be next, the little known French island of Les déchirures de phoenix which translated to English James noted was tears of Phoenix (A/n Excuse me if the French is off but I got it from a translator and we all know how reliable they are) theoretically referring to the healing powers of Phoenix tears. So this was the place the ship sailed to after every battle and loot. Quite possibly because of the name of the ships berth the occupants were wizards, James theorised and this was the reason that none of the muggle sailors had ever been able catch them.

Of course being a wizard himself James would be more likely to succeed at getting back his sister then the previous attempters. The journey was originally to be made alone, James being reluctant to impart the dangers of the mission on to anyone but his two best friends caught wind of his actions and decided to come along with or without his support. Sirius and Remus were wizards themselves and that was part of the reason James allowed then to come along. The other being that they had known Alexia just as long as James and also considered her as their sister.

So four years after Alexia's kidnapping James, now twenty three and his associates set off for Les déchirures de phoenix with the intention of sneaking aboard the Emerald Shadow and reclaiming Alexia Potter. The plan was working flawlessly until Sirius Sneezed. This alerted the pirates to their whereabouts and before you could say quiddich they were apprehended and knocked unconscious. They awoke three hours later tied to the mast and thus the story begins.

_Gosh Sirius, you should really take care of that allergy problem it could get you into trouble one of these days. I hope you enjoyed this and watch out for the next instalment shortly. _

_Groovy bananas_

_Love Lady Topaz_

_XXX_


	2. Emerald eyes

**_And I'm back! Yea drinks all round! Here is chapter two of cutlass I will try to update every Sunday if possible so you should all get the new chapters on Monday, thanks to all you who reviewed. You Rock! Let's try it again_**

Chapter One

When one must awaken from the subconscious utopia that is sleep one usually experiences a feeling of befuddlement until one can grasp at the surroundings.

When James Potter, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black awoke three hours after being knocked unconscious by something very heavy they too experienced moment in time full of perplexity. Unlike most people however they did not awaken to a familiar environment. This fact was not helped by the pair of very purple eyes scrutinising their feverish attempts of recognition of the situation of which they had been put.

These exhilarant efforts were halted when Sirius Black let out a yell upon detecting the observer thus alerting his friends to the new presence. Yelling "Who the bleeding heck are you?" would not have been high on Remus' list of things to do whilst one finds themselves in hostage circumstances. Though, he decided Sirius was not known for his tact in such situations and so could be excused for his lack in judgement. The purple eyed female laughed in clear amusement.

"Better keep a leash on that one mates. Names Lara Malfoy by the way, first mate of the prestigious Emerald Shadow the fine ship on which you gents find yourselves on right now."

The gents in question examined Lara Malfoy and simultaneously came up with the same conclusion.

Why with her long raven locks tamed under a purple headscarf, black shirt cut to cling to places even the most daring of young ladies would have found scandalous, a sword and dagger slipped into a purple sash with an amethyst broach clipped to it, black breeches commonly worn by men tucked into shiny black leather boots Lara was most definitely a pirate.

Not only that, she was a _female _pirate. Why such a thing had never been heard of.

"You cannot be a pirate. You are a woman. The only thing you are good for is cooking, cleaning and bearing children to your husband."

Evidently this was the wrong thing to say judging by the red mark on James's cheek.

"If I catch you saying such things again Sir Potter you'll wish it was merely a slap you received." Lara snarled.

One thing she said caught Lupin's attention. "How did you know James's name and title? I don't recall us introducing ourselves."

Lara swore under her breath and opened her mouth to attempt to save herself from having to answer the question when a sweet toned voice rang out.

"Oh glory you're awake. I was afraid that with the whack Lara gave you that you would end up in some sort of coma."

A new girl had come forward. She looked about twenty one which seemed the same age as Lara.

The girl had long whitish blonde hair which was tied out of the way in a French plait. She was wearing tan breeches and a white shirt with sliver runes sewed in it so fine that it was almost undistinguishable from the white of the cotton. In fact the only person who could see the runes clearly was Remus with his enhanced sight; the others only saw a slight flashing as the shirt caught the sun; the girl had a sash the colour of the sea with a turquoise broach clipped to it. A sword was also strapped to her waist. The girls face was a pleasant one with tan skin with a sprinkle of freckles along her nose as opposed to Lara's milky aristocratic features.

The girl turned from Lara to face the three tied up men before her. Her eyes lingered on Remus's and he had to keep in a gasp at the sheer depth of the turquoise colour. Just as she in turn marvelled at the animalistic amber of his.

Lara gagged at the sheer love fluffiness of it. The girl turned and glared at her.

"Lara why are these men tied up? There's no need for it. If you don't release them then I will."

She then reached into her shirt and took out a wand. Lara grabbed for it but she held it out of the way.

"Dammit Shaiera! These blokes are muggles!" Shaiera hesitated.

James took his chance. "We are not muggles. We are as magical as you are."

"Aha see!" Lara looked triumphantly at Shaiera. "We can't untie him because then he will use his wand and I can't be bothered beating the crap out of him."

Shaiera looked appalled "Lara enough of your vulgar language. You will give us all a bad name. Now." This comment she directed to James. "If we untie you will you promise not to use your wand against us or any other person on this crew?" James quickly agreed and Shaiera shot a gloating look at Lara who scowled and muttered a spell.

The ropes binding the three to the mast disappeared and Shaiera helped them up.

"Poor loves. I bet you're starving. Trix!" she called and a small pink house elf in a small tan dress with a picture of an emerald shrouded in shadows popped up in front of them.

"Good day mistresses Lara and Shaiera and Sirs James, Sirius and Remus. How may I be of service?"

"Give the men some food if you will Trix. Nothing too fancy as they need room for supper" Lara answered apparently out of her sulk. The house elf beamed at her and clicked her fingers. A tray of bread, cheese and meat appeared and the three men tucked in with much appreciation.

"Why does your house elf have clothing and proper English? For that matter, why is a _house_elf on a boat?" Siriusasked Shaiera curiously.

"The house elf is wearing clothes and can speak properly because our captain believes that the houseelves perform much better when they are not being scared out of their wits. We have Trix and several other houseelves on the ship because some came when people joined the crew and some we purchased in towns. This is also a magical boat which may also have attracted the house elves. Besides Lara can't cook." She finished with a smirk. Lara poked her tongue out at her.

"Any other questions?" Lara asked.

"Are you single?" asked Sirius with a wink.

Lara rolled her eyes good heartedly "Excluding yourselves this is an all female ship. So yes I am."

"According to legends every time your ship is sighted a girl goes missing in the town. Is this true? If so, where are the girls now?" Asked Remus.

"The only girls taken are those with magic ability and they have to fit a certain criteria. They have to be at least thirteen, strong, brave, ambitious, and loyal, quick witted and for some reason none of then can have the same eye colour as someone on this ship. I have no idea but its tradition. The girls are trained for two years and then they join the crew. Shaiera trains most of them. Next question"

James looked up. In his voice was barely contained anger "Who is your captain and why does she think she has the right to take loved ones out of their homes to join her stupid crew?"

But this time a cool calm voice answered him.

"Because it is the right passed down through the generations of captains of the Emerald Shadow and I don't intend to forsake it. I am the captain of the Emerald Shadow and I assume Lord Potter that you are talking about your sister."

Every one turned to look up at the yard arm above them. A woman stood proud and tall staring down at them as if challenging them. The atmosphere around her was one of power that demanded respect.

She was wearing a white shirt under a black jacket with gold trimming; she was wearing cream breeches and shiny black boots with a fine sword strapped to her waist. Her hair, the colour of red wine was half covered with a black pirate's hat with a gaudy feather flashing different colours. The sash tied around her was a bold green with an emerald flashing against the fabric. The men were beginning to see the uniform of it.

The Captain strode forward across the beam and leapt down on to the deck below. Landing on her feet as sure as a cat she studied James who, though her would never admit it felt naked under her gaze.Her almond shape eyes which were a startling green colour seemed to look beyond him.

James and the captain stared each other in the eye for what seemed like forever but in reality were only a few minutes until Lara who was getting bored coughed loudly, snapping the captains' attention to her.

"Perhaps you should introduce yourself to our guest's _captain_." She said emphasizing the captain. The captain raised an eye brow but complied nether the less.

"Sirs Potter, Black and Lupin…I am the captain of this ship Lily Evans and I bid thee welcome to the Emerald Shadow!"

_**There we go I stuck Lily in the story as well as some nice figments of my imagination otherwise known as OCs. Just for the HP OC brigade. Review and make my world a happier place! Back to school tomorrow after two weeks of holidays. Sigh oh well. You can review and make me feel better. **_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX **_


	3. Lapis Lazuli eyes

**_Hey loves! I'm back with the next chapter of Cutlass. In this one we meet the crew and a special someone. Also I made the men more sexist as requested be FloatingBubbles and futurePOTUS. Read on my lovelies!_**

Chapter Two

The plan that James Potter had concerning this escapade was relatively simple.

James, Sirius and Remus would find the little known island of Les déchirures de phoenix -which was decided was a feat in itself as there seemed to be no map anywhere which told of the coordinates- and rescue Alexia Potter.

Trouncing up the pirates who stole her was a possibility depending on how they treated her and if any of the bastards touched her inappropriately.

James Potter then decided that additionally to saving his sister he would then save all the maidens and return them heroically to their rightful homes. The lords of the home would be so grateful to him they would give him the pick of a wife from the young women which he would graciously accept. Provided they did not pick any habits from the pirates which made them less than what the Potter family demanded.

Further more he had decided with contentment the lords of these well known families just may give a satisfactory marriage for Alexia that could further the influence of his families title. Just as his father had done for James's spinster aunt before James had taken over.

He married Juliet Potter to Lord Allan Bones and now the potter family had a place on the ministry Wizengamot and a say in all major trials. James intended to do the same for his sister as was his right as head of the Potter family.

This was the plan that James Potter had for his life, but we all know that plans don't always go the way we want them too. Especially when faced with Lily Evans, Lara Potter and Shaiera Bel Canto.

At first James, Sirius and Remus were in a state of shock and didn't really register that they were faced with the captain of the notorious magical pirate ship the Emerald Shadow.

"Sirs Potter, Black and Lupin…I am the captain of this ship Lily Evans and I bid thee welcome to the Emerald Shadow!" The red haired female spoke grinning at the three.

James snorted "You are obviously the wife of the captain and are trying to intimidate us with such common means. I demand to speak to your husband and let him deal with you impertinence."

The grin quickly disappeared from Lily's face. That was the second time that James had been slapped today.

"I am the captain Potter and I control this ship and everything and everyone on it. Unless you show me the proper respect you won't be on this vessel much longer!" she growled.

Sirius raised an eyebrow in defiance. "Milady you are a woman and thus you do not have the mental capacity to deal with running a ship. As for the matter of staying on the ship, we need only to collect Alexia then we are on our way. Give our regards to your husband will not you Mrs Evans."

The silence that followed this statement was filled with energy. Sirius, James and Remus were looking superior, Shaiera looked shocked and Lara looked like she wanted to knock Sirius out again. The only person with a calm face was Lily Evans herself.

"Unfortunately if this is the kind of manner you show to me then I cannot possibly let you near my crew which as of two years ago includes Alexia." She stated coldly.

James's face was like a thunder cloud. In a swift practiced move he pulled his sword from the scabbard and held it threatening between Lily's eyes. She didn't even blink.

"I came here to free my sister and if you will not let me see her then I will not hesitate to use violence. Even though it is against my beliefs to terrorize a woman I will make an exception for you." Lara started but stopped at Lily's look.

"Do you think it wise to cross swords with a pirate Potter? Regardless of said pirates' gender." Lily asked while grabbing her sword with the hand that had been edging towards her sash. With ease she parried the James' blade kicked the blade out of his hand.

When he reached for another weapon Shaiera raised her wand and smirked. "Accio weapons." She cried pointing her wand at the three men.

A pile of daggers, swords, muggle guns (brought in the hopes that the wizards wouldn't know what they were) and various other blades fell to her feet.

"Hey!" Remus protested "You cheated."

Lara looked at him "Pirate" was all she said.

"Besides you said that you wouldn't attempt to harm anyone on this ship." Shaiera added frowning.

"No we said that we wouldn't use our _wands_ to harm anybody. You did not say anything about swords." James countered. Lara glared at him

"Well do you now swear that you won't use any means of harming anyone on this crew?"

"Well we do not really have a choice now that you have taken all out weapons." Sirius shrugged.

Lily tilted her head at James "Not quite" she mumbled.

Taking everyone by surprise she stepped forward and placed her lips on James'. Everyone stared at her as she passionately kissed James but then suddenly stopped. Stepping back she opened her mouth and took from it a miniature knife. Taking out her wand she engorged it to its original size.

"It opens locks" she said throwing it on the pile of weapons. "Now I want you to swear that you will not use any means of harming anyone on this crew."

Sirius and Remus hurriedly agreed while all James could do was nod. (A/n Whipped!)The threewomen smirked satisfied.

"Now that we got that underway I think I can let you near my crew now." Lily smiled.Then she put her fingers to her mouth and let out a piercing whistle.

"Line up ladies! We have guests and I won't be having any of you scallywags embarrassing the name of the Emerald Shadow. Savvy?" she bellowed in volume that looked like it couldn't be reached in her small frame.

Swiftly the deserted deck filled up with women in all shapes and sizes. The outfits they wore varied but all of them seemed to have a sash tied around their waists and attached with a jewel at the hip the same colour as their eyes. None of the ladies had the same coloured eyes.

The marauders stared openly at the magnificence of these women for each of them seemed to carry an inner poise and glow.

Lara smiled at them cheekily "Now each of these lasses are vigorously trained in weaponry and combat. So you don't wanna be on the wrong side of them. I would start by memorising each and every single name."

The men gulped as they thought of the amount of names they would have to memorise. Shaiera who seemed out of her earlier state if harshness frowned good naturedly at Lara

"Don't worry if you don't hurt them then they won't hurt you. Lara's just winding you up. If you can't remember a name just identify the jewel on them and call them by that. It's like a nickname of sorts. I'm Turquoise and Lara is Amethyst, and the captain is Emerald."

There were obvious signs of relief. Sirius glared at Lara who glared playfully back.

Lily strode up and down the line like an admiral inspecting her troops. She stopped.

"Where is Lapis Lazuli?" she snapped.

A tall fierce looking woman stepped forward, she had eyes a glittering black colour. "Captain, she is putting the weapons away."

Lily nodded "Thank you Onyx." then continuing in an authoritative tone "These men are guests aboard our ship. Thus so I do not want to see any behaviour that discredits our name and the name of Piracy!" she finished to cheers.

Shaiera snorted "Lily is not known for her speeches" she whispered.

Having finished her talk she beckoned the men down the line. James marched quickly down.

Glancing at every woman. Ignoring the giggles and whistles that broke out.

Reaching the end of the line he stopped and whirled round to face Lily.

"She's not here." He growled.

Lara raised an eyebrow. "Good point Potter…OI LEXI!" she yelled.

Deafening the ears of James. Suddenly a flurry of 'excuse me' and 'can I please get through' reached their ears before a short girl of seventeen pushed through the line and stood in front of Lily.

"HeyEmerald, Turquoise and Amethyst.Sorry I'm late. What's the line up for?"

Lara grinned down at the girl "That's okay Lexi, besides we got a surprise for you."

The girl bounced up and down on her heals making her messy black hair get even messier. "Really? For me? Cos I haven't done anything special lately"

The whole line beamed at the youngest member of the crew in a motherly way.

Lily laughed at the pure childishness Alexia radiated.

"Well I have a present for you anyway. I hope you enjoy it…him"

Alexia didn't even notice the mistake as she grinned even harder.

Gently Lily spun her around.

James stared open mouthed at his sister until she tackled him with a hug with a huge shriek of "James!"

_**AWW family reunion! Hope you liked this. I made Alexias character kind of hyper because although she is seventeen she grew up in a world where she has no responsibility to make her more mature. It was a pretty sheltered life and then when she joins the crew she is treated like the baby of the family with all the other women fussing over her. Review and tell me what you think!**_

_**Cheers**_

_**Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	4. Amethyst Eyes

**_I'm back and ready with another chapter. I just saw pirates of the Caribbean twice in less then twenty four hours. Once with my godmother and once with my friends. I loved it any way. I used some of their lines last chapter so I'm putting up a disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean or any lines from that movie that I might use. There we go! _**

Chapter Three

A wise man once said that the most powerful force on this earth is love. Not necessarily the love between lovers how ever powerful it might be. It may be the love between mother and daughter and the secrets they share passed down from generations before. It may be the love between friends and the trust given to protect. It may be the love between owner and pet sworn to defend each. Or it may be the love between siblings. One prime example being the Potter brother and sister and the warmth that swept the passengers of the Emerald Shadow.

That is until the eldest Potter sibling glanced upon his little sisters garments.

"Alexia Ophelia Potter! What on earth possessed you to dress in such a manner unfit for a lady of your wealth and status?" James cried indicating to Alexia's attire of navy breeches, shiny black boots, and aqua shirt with a piece of white cloth tied round her neck. Her sash being a lively blue colour with a gemstone of Lapis Lazuli which gleamed dangerously at the Potter heads comment.

"Well James she can't very well climb a rigging in a dress can she?" Lily asked impudently.

Alexia giggled "The captain is right Jamie" she said referring to her childhood nickname for James "I can't do my job properly if I'm wearing a ball gown encrusted with gems. It would get ruined silly!"

James cast a disdainful look in her direction. "Rigging or not you are a lady and should act like one instead of climbing up ropes like some common sailor. A pirate ship is no place for you and I shall take you home immediately and attempt so salvage a respectable marriage for you. Despite the fact you have been on a pirate ship for four years the noble name of Potter should ride roughshod over that fact."

For the first time since she was a trainee Alexia looked like she was about to cry. And not for the first time today Lara looked like she wanted to kill James. This time she was not alone for the entire of the Emerald shadow crew looked murderous.

Sirius looked like he agreed totally with James and went to stand beside him while Remus reluctantly joined him casting mournful glance at Shaiera who wouldn't meet his eye. At his younger sisters expression James' eyes softened but his feeling of betrayal emerged when she went and stood beside Lily.

How dare she? She was a Potter and came from a good name and she throws it all away for this stupid adventure.

James remembered when he was just like her. When he, Sirius and Remus used to play pranks on the visiting lords and run around pretending to be pirates and having wild adventures. When they started a secret club that no one not even Alexia knew of. The marauders would plan to escape and to find their own fortunes in the world. But then Harold Potter had found out and threatened to ban the boys from seeing each other if they continued. He forced them to grow up and accept their responsibilities to their families and their name.

The three men matured into valued members of the society. A prized husband for any woman. At least according to the matriarchs of several influential families. Harold Potter died before he could arrange a beneficial marriage for his eldest child but Sirius Black was not so lucky. Though he was betrothed he had never met the girl and thus ran away from his home, finding shelter with the Potter family. A few months later Arcturus Black died before the disownment papers were completed and Sirius being his only living heir was made Lord Black.

Remus' father however died when he was born and his mother died of grief not that long after. Remus was left to the care of his fathers' steward who never had time for the boy and so never noticed when Remus was bitten by Fenrir Greyback. Mr Prewitt left the raising to his daughter Molly until she was married to one Author Weasley when Remus was eleven. Mr Prewitt then sent the young Lupin lord to the finest school around, Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry where he met the best friends he would ever have.

James Potter and Sirius Black became animagus to help with his lycanthrope. A fact they now hid from the crew of the Emerald Shadow.

A plan was forming in Remus' head. Of course he would have to get Alexia to safety…and possibly Shaiera, Lara and Lily too. All he required was to stay on the ship for another week.

But first he needed to smooth out the mess that James had landed them in again. Though Remus was used to getting his friends out of trouble, it was the least he could do after they had done so much for him.

"Why you arrogant toe rag Potter! How dare you insult my crew on my own ship. I ought to have you hung from my flag for display." James glared at Lily and opened his mouth to speak when Remus stomped on his foot. James transferred his glare to the Lord Lupin who ignored him. Remus smiled serenely at the captain.

"Milady please pardon my rash friends remarks. He was overcome with the stress that occurred whist searching so greatly for Alexia that he forgot his head for a moment. I ask for your forgiveness in his actions that we may stay on you ship for a while with Alexia before setting off content that she is safe." James and Sirius looked questionably at his but he ignored them keeping eye contact with the captain.

Lily considered his proposal "if I can hear an apology direct from the Lord Potters lips then I may reconsider my previous suggestion to have him hung from my flag pole." She decided.

Remus looked at James willing him to accept. As if reading the urgency of the look Remus sent him he smiled pleasantly at the crew.

"Of course my acquaintance knows my moods better than most and intervened before any permanent damage occurred. Please accept my apologies to any harmful comments made on my part"

Sirius nodded "As well as I Captain Evans. For I was only attempting to protect Alexia from what I saw as a threat. I know now that I was sorely mistaken and I beg your forgiveness for such an irrational action by myself"

Lily raised an eyebrow at the extravagance but seemed to accept it none the less. "Apology accepted. I hope you all will think before you act in the future for next time I may not be so forgiving. Lexi what do you think?" she asked Alexia who's face was twisted in to such a look of intense concentration that she appeared almost comical.

At last she nodded slowly and a smirk appeared on her face "I think I can forgive you Siri, Remy and Jamie. I mean it must be hard for you carrying all that excess ego around" She said ducking the playful swat the Sirius aimed at her.

Remus looked up to catch the smile that Shaiera sent his way. Ignoring the twisting feeling on his stomach he gave a small smile back. She seemed to mistake his guilt for shyness and accepted the aloofness.

It was at that moment that Lily noticed the crew standing around watching and roared "Back to work now! Shows over you slacking dogs!"

Lara snorted "Lily by all rights I think you just called your crew a bunch of lazy bitches"

Lily considered what she just said "I think you're right Amethyst. But I've said it so what am I supposed to do about it now?"

"Gosh I don't know Emerald. But considering what you said about the gents nasty words I think you might make it better with a full blown apology, tears and all."

Lily grinned "Can't have them think I'm going soft now can I?"

"Of course not Lily. Then what would we do if they decided to make me captain"

"Why we would pray of course. Now would you be a love and show these fine forgiven men to their rooms?"

"And where would that be esteemed captain of mine?"

Lily rolled her emerald eyes. "What's the point of having a crew of pirates at your beck and call of they don't know their way around their own bloody ship? Alright Potter, Black, Lupin, Malfoy and um…Potter I will now show you to the room that the three men will be staying in whilst on my ship. Shaiera you will go to the house elves and get them to prepare for the feast in the main dining room. Savvy?"She commanded striding down a stair which led down into the ship.

James, Sirius, Remus, Lara and Alexia followed in her wake. The ship seemed much bigger on the inside which Remus stated.

"Of course Remy. This _is_ a magical ship you know. With many witches on board. Every member of the crew gets their own bedroom with on suite washrooms and a privy. Then there's the dining room, kitchen, lounge, navigation room, trainee quarters, training rooms, weaponries and all that stuff." Alexia kept up a steady narration as they passed through a seemingly endless corridor.

Lily was silent until she stopped at three doors, numbers 108, 110 and 112.

Each door was beautifully carved, one with a stag, one with a wolf and one with a bear like dog. The animals appeared to be moving if you watched them out of the corner of your eye. But when you looked at them head on they were still.

"Well here we are boys. Each door is a representation of your personality. I don't know if these animals mean something to you or not and I don't really care." Lara stated uninterested staring at the dozens of doors, each with a different picture.

Alexia was a lot more cheerful "My room's just down the hall, its number 115 and Lara is 117 and Shaiera is 118 and Lily is 120. So if you need anything then just go to one of those rooms. I better show you yours now okay? The rooms are also shaped to suit you desires. It's really amazing"

She looked at Lily who ran her fingers along a strip above the handle and stated clearly.

"Ouvrir."

**_Rereading my last chapter I realised that I said Lara Potter when I should have said Lara Malfoy. Sorry for any confusion. I hope you liked this chapter cos writing it gave me cramps in my hand. I have no idea why but it did. Anyways review and get cramps like mine…JUST KIDDING! _**

_**I wuv you all!**_

_**Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX **_


	5. Turquoise Eyes

_**Ello darlings! I'm back with the next segment in my lovely story. First I got some news…I went to the ball last night and it rocked! So anyways read and review and I will be a happy chappy! Enjoy!**_

Chapter four

When James Potter decided to reside temporarily on the Emerald Shadow he prepared himself for a stay of hard work, bad food and a sleeping arrangement more suited to a swine.

But the love for his sister was greater than his love for comfort and thus he steeled himself for the horrors of what ever pirates use for beds.

He was most pleasantly surprise to find not as he imagined a stack of hay but a large four poster feather bed which was almost grander than the one in his mansion. When Alexia said there was an onsuite bathroom he imagined a bucket with water for washing with another bucket that served as a privy. Instead he found a beautifully furnished bathroom with white marble bath with golden trimmings, a white basin with vanilla scented wash cloths as was his preference and fresh towels. He also noticed that the entire suite was decorated in gold and scarlet which was the colours of Gryffindor his old school house.

All this splendour he couldn't imagine on a grotty pirate ship.

Spinning on his heel he strolled into Sirius's room which was done up in much the same way except there was more black than James's which was understandable as despite the fact that he hated his father he still took his position of Black Head very serious and that included mourning of his predecessor.

He found Sirius lying on his bed staring on the wall hangings. Collapsing down beside him he sighed. Sometimes it was hard maintaining an image as he did ceaselessly.

Looking up into the hangings as Sirius did he found a complete replica of the galaxy, including the Dog Star whom which Sirius had been named after.

His eyes were following a shooting star near Spica when Sirius started to speak

"Why do they do it?"

"Hmm?" James replied turning to look at his best friend

"I mean why are there rooms full of such finery on a pirate ship. Why are they still pirates if they have such riches, what need do these women have to pillage and plunder. With all this wealth they could easily find a good marriage despite the fact that they have no good name to heighten their advantage over other women. So why do they do it?"

"Because maybe they wish to escape that life" a new voice joined the exchange.

Both men lifted their heads to see Captain Lily leaning against the doorway and wearing a indifferent expression.

Sirius glared "Did your mother never teach you not to enter a room without permission?"

Lily smirked "I am captain of this ship and such menial courtesies do not apply to me. Besides my mother never taught me anything of which I consider to be of importance to my development. I left before the bitch could corrupt me with her stupid affairs of the social order. My elder sister however drank it all in and now she is in a dead end marriage with a man who resembles a pig both physically and mentally." She finished with bitterness.

James and Sirius were surprised at the depth of the hate of which she spoke about her family.

Seemingly realising she said too much Lily continued "Join the rest of the group in Remus' room will you not?" before stalking down the hall to number 108 with a picture of a wolf on the door.

The two men followed but not before exchanging a significant look with each other.

Hearing the sound of laughter they opened the door to a room done up in shades of blue ranging from the lightest shade of blue that was almost white to the darkest navy. The darker shades were almost lurking in the corners and it was James decided a perfect representation of Remus' personality with the light colours expressing his personality as the dark edgings were his darker side which was mostly linked with the wolf. The blue was for the sadness he suffered in his life.

Inside was Remus, Lily, Lara and Alexia who seemed to be the source for the bout of laughter they heard as the approached. The small girl was almost in hysterics with a story that Remus was telling.The other two women allowed a small chuckle emerge every now and then.

"…and then as James was running away from the dog he stood on the sharp end of the rake which he had left on the front lawn and it hit him on the head and almost knocked him out. Then to add insult to injury the dog came up behind him and took a chunk out of his breeches. So he ended up with a cut on his foot, a bump on his head and a gash on his behind. Well it's safe to say he never went courting Miss Chang again!" (A/n looks like both the Potter men have trouble with Chang girls)

By the time he finished not only was Alexia in hysterics but everyone except James was laughing so hard they were practically convulsing.

"I remember that! Prongs still has the scar from that Doberman" Sirius barked gleefully. James scowled at him subconsciously rubbing his posterior.

"I will thank you not to yield anymore of my misadventures if you please Mister Moony" he snapped hotly.

Remus tried to keep a straight face but soon submitted to the mirth that was inside of him.

"Oh lighten up Potter it's just a bit of fun." Lily grinned merrily at him. She received face pulled at her from the Potter heads direction.

"By golly what an ungentlemanly thing to do to a young lady" Alexia giggled.

James snorted "The only lady I see is you Alexia and even that is diminishing quickly"

"Now Jimmy I'll have none of that speak at sweet little Lexi or I'll chop off your p-Speak of the devil" Lara cried delightedly at Shaiera who poked her head round the corner.

Sirius looked at her in a confused manner "But we were not talking about Shaiera"

Lara smiled at him in a dementedly caring way "Of course not my little barnacle, I just say that when she comes in to make her paranoid"

Shaiera rolled her eyes "I just came in to say that dinner will be served shortly in the large dining room. It's served in half an hour"

Lily nodded "Alright chaps you heard her…move out. Alexia, will you pass on the message to the rest of the crew before you get changed? Now the dining room is room 23 for you gents benefit. It's formal wear and you will find clothing suited to your need in the wardrobes in your room. Savvy?"

Everyone except Remus moved out of the room under the captains commanding stare. Remus walked over to the huge wooden wardrobe parallel to his bedstead.Opening it he found a complete formal suit perfect for dinner. Putting it on he scrutinised his reflection.

The charcoal grey colour seemed to draw attention from the dark circles that seemed permanently etched under his eyes. He sighed; she would never like someone like me he advised himself glaring at his worn features and premature greying hair.

He growled and turned away from his reflection. Mirrors show only imperfections a voice in his head sounded. Not if you are Sirius Black or James Potter he told it firmly feeling a sudden burst of loathing for the two men. He quickly quashed it disgusted with himself. After all they did for him he had no right to criticize something they have no control over.

Giving one last disdainful glance into the mirror he strode out of the room. Alexia was already there dressed in a gown of shimmering azure with Lapis Lazuli round her waist like a belt.

"See I can dress up and be a pirate too" she told him pointedly.

Remus smiled "I do not doubt you Alexia"

"Well that's a change from earlier isn't it" Lara commented walking towards them with Sirius not far behind her.

She was wearing a dress that was slightly more revealing than Remus would have liked. The gown was black with amethysts sewn into the neckline.

She noticed his gaze and made a face "God it's incredibly cliché isn't it? ButLily demanded the bloody Amethysts."

Remus didn't miss the roving eye that Sirius gave her when he took in her outfit. James came out of his room and grinned at them all especially Alexia for wearing what he thought was an appropiate outfit for a woman of her station.

Lastly Shaiera came down the hall in a white gown with small turquoises rimming the hem.

"Shall we go?" she smiled at the group "Lily's meeting us there" she added taking Remus' offered hand.

James escorted his sister and Lara grabbed Sirius's hand as they made their way to the dining room.

**_Sorry I had to cut it short but my mums making me go to bed because I was out partying at the after ball last night. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll try to make the next one longer. _**

_**Life is a terminal disease**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

**_XXX _**


	6. Onyx Eyes

**_Here I am again! Did you miss me? I'm thinking of doing another HP fic with the same main characters but this is set in Harry's time so Lils and James would sadly be dead. What do you think? Anyways enjoy the chapter!_**

Chapter Five

Despite the elegance portrayed by the suite of room the three marauders continued to think the worst about the pirates who's ship they were on for the time being.

No matter how astonishingly attractive Sirius found the first mate Lara Malfoy he was not going to act on these whims. 'It would be the final insult on his despised father's grave if he were to take up with a pirate' a treacherous part of his mind whispered beguilingly. Sirius shook that part of him away.

There was no way in hell that he would allow himself to be tempted by the raven haired siren. Even if it would make Arcturus Black turn in his grave.

Sirius momentarily indulged in a fantasy about what his father would think if he actually did have an affair with a pirate woman and the fact that Arcturus couldn't do anything about it.

Opening his eyes he peeked at the woman whom with his hand securely in hers was dragging him along the hall. Malfoy was her last name but she didn't look anything like a Malfoy. Every Malfoy that Sirius knew had platinum hair and silvery grey eyes. Not dark hair and purple eyes.

"I got the hair and eyes from my mothers side. You could say I'm the _black_ sheep the family"

he looked sharply at her "Are you a legilimens? I do not remember consenting for my mind to be delved by yourself"

Lara looked at him strangely "No I'm not a legilimens. You just asked me that out loud. Boy Sirius, this gives a whole new meaning to speak your mind. Unintentionally of course"

Sirius inwardly groaned furious with himself for showing a weak mistake in front of her. She would most probably tell bloody Lily Evans as well.

Bloody women.

Sirius didn't even notice the stop until he walked straight into Miss Malfoy herself who glared at him.

"I know that it is hard for you to concentrate on keeping your thoughts in your mind but will you please pay attention to where you are going." Alexia coughed to cover her laugh. They had reached a large gilded double door with images of cutlery bordering the edges.

"Ouvrir pour les dames Amethyst, Aquamarine et Lapis Lazuli. Avec les Seigneurs d'invités Potter, Black et Lupin" Lara spoke clearly with a perfect accent.

The door shook slightly but with a groaning sound the door opened complying with her orders. The inside of the dining room was just as grand as the door. Maybe even more so.

Silver lined the room contrasting deeply with the plum coloured walls. The ceiling mimicked the one in Hogwarts great hall showing a velvet blue sky with glowing dots strategically placed around a waning moon.

"It is supposed to remind the crew of Hogwarts, or those who actually went to Hogwarts anyway" Shaiera whispered.

Seated around a crystal table were the majority of the crew of the Emerald Shadow. Each chair was adorned with a jewel on the back equivalent to the each woman's eye colour. Whether on a sash, ear, necklace or lining each woman had their personal gem somewhere on them.

Lara growled "I hate when the captain decides to give a theme like this. I feel incredibly cliché right now"

"Oh hush Lara. You know you love it" Alexia hid her smirk behind her hand.

Seven of the chairs were unoccupied. One at the head of the table with an emerald and three empty chairs on each side of the emerald. On her right there was an Amethyst, turquoise and Lapis Lazuli. On her left there were three chairs with not jewel in them but carvings of stag, wolf and dog.

The group quickly took their individual seats. The three marauders subtly admiring the golden plates and dishes covered with a silver salver which gave off a delectable aroma which only came from house elf cooking.

Suddenly a gong rang throughout the room and all chatter stopped immediately. The entire table excluding the three men stood in unison and bowed their heads in a mark of respect. The marauders stood up after a second's hesitation, good manners drilled into them since childhood won over the resentment of showing reverence to a pirate captain.

"Ouvrir maintenant pour le Emerald de Dame, le capitaine du Emerald Shadow" a woman's cool lucid voice rang out. It sounded like she was standing right next to the occupants of the room.

A smaller set of doors than the main doors flew open with a bang. The men jumped for the doors passed unnoticed when they first entered the room. The crew of the Emerald Shadow extended no feelings of surprised, all being used to the increasingly eccentric entries by their captain. They didn't even bat an eyelid when the music began.

After a while Remus recognised the piece as a rather disfigured adaptation of Fur Elise, composed by a muggle called Ludwig Van Beethoven. His attention was then occupied as Lily made her way to the head of the table.

She was dressed in a bold green dress with abstract cuttings made in the skirt showing a lighter green under skirt and sometimes even showing a flash of leg. Her flame coloured locks were restrained by a forest green net with emeralds tied into the knots. As soon as she seated herself at the head of the table the rest of the table sat down as well. Clearing her throat Lily began

"Now that we are all seated and well I shall begin the grace."

James was so surprised that pirates said grace that he didn't struggle when Lily grabbed his and Lara's hands. Following her example as did everyone else at the table he closed his eyes and waited for Lily to begin

"For the food we are about to receive may the lord make us truly thankful. May the lord also make us thankful for the merchants' ship that is brainless enough to sail in our territory. Because the amount valuables that are on that boat are enough to fill the treasury and make the Emerald Shadow sail lopsided from the weight. _A-wo-_men"

Silence rained over the room until a deafening roar came from the buccaneers. Lily waited until the noise died down before continuing

"Now tonight we shall feast like queens…or kings" she said gesturing to the three males "Then after we have filled our bellies we will take that ship by force and take it all. Because we are pirates and that is what we do" she finished staring at James pointedly.

He scowled clearly not pleased at this new development and the knowledge that his little sister would steal goods from a trader. But the thing that really aggravated him was Lily's meaningful comment that nothing he could say would change the fact that his little sister was a sea rat.

No one else seemed to catch the hidden comment. He stared down at his plate determinedly avoiding everyone's gaze. That woman was stubbornly rubbing his face in the matter and James Potter was getting sick of it. He would win if it was the last thing he ever did. He would bring his sister back to the civilised world even if he had to use all his wits to do it. He would not leave without her. That he promised to himself.

After Lily's rally of her crew, conversation slowly rose back to a customary level. Lily looked at the six people around her. Lara was flirting with Sirius who was trying (and failing) to resist her efforts, Shaiera was having an intent conversation with a blushing Remus and Alexia was doggedly trying to get James to talk. She frowned she would have to fix Potters attitude later.

The rest of her crew were predictable. Onyx and Ruby were laughing with Sapphire. Chalcedony and Diamond were staring enviously in the direction of the marauders. With a few exceptions the rest of the girls were having a worked up debate on the issue of Tom Riddle, the provost for London.

There were some heated debates on his methods of execution and some of his arrests but he demonstrated a fierce hate for pirates and in the end that was how he won the election. As a rule pure blooded families hated pirates, the Emerald Shadow didn't really help that fact by stealing away females of some of the families.

The Malfoy's for example are huge supporters of Riddle even more so when young Lara was taken. The Malfoy's did not care for the girl much and her laughable views on muggleborn rights but she had Malfoy blood running through her veins and her kidnapping was a direct insult to the family. They joined in on several of Riddles pirate massacres and the killings he claimed were pirate related though these were usually reserved for mudbloods and families that greatly opposed him.

When the dishes were unveiled the marauders were surprised to see the lady like manners of the women. When Sirius voiced this Lily replied

"I do not tolerate the lasses eating like pigs. If they want to eat like animals then they can eat their food outside on the deck like animals" Sirius shrugged and continued eating.

Abruptly the dinner party was cut to a halt when a house elf came running up to the captain

"Captain Evans. The merchant ship was nearer than thought. We will be coming into direct contact with them in approximately half an hour"

Lily stood with an impish smirk on her lips

"Its show time ladies"

_**Next chapter we have a pirate raid! I needed to fit Voldy in somehow and this seemed as good as any. So review and tell me your views. **_

_**Cancan can you do the Cancan?**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

**_XXX_**


	7. Topaz Eyes

_**I'm here. Please please stop the applause. Here is the much awaited chapter six. So review and I'll be a very happy chick! Enjoy!**_

Chapter Six

In Lord James Potter's mental list of things to do before he died, taking part in a pirate raid on a merchant ship was not number one.

In fact it was not on the list at all. This was what he found himself doing less than ten minutes after a house elf interrupted the feast he was enjoying with the crew of the Emerald Shadow.

Though he would never admit it to her face Lily Evans was a good conversationalist. There was a slight persuasion tone to her voice that made it almost impossible to argue with. She constantly used this weapon to make the collaborator she was talking with see things from seemingly anomalous angles.

Such as the rights of the creature known to most as a house elf which was, James admitted to himself an issue he had never really contemplated.

It was because of this talent the young man decided that he and his two companions were sitting in an insecure basket upon a vertical log also known as a crows nest. This was the destination that Lily had exiled them to for the duration of the attack.

He stole a glimpse at Remus who had never been particularly fond of heights. Remus chose to spend his time in the library reading as opposed to playing Quiddich with his two obsessed best friends. The werewolf was looking a tad on the pale sweaty side and was sitting with his back to the side of the crows nest furiously reciting the twelve uses of dragon blood under his breath.

Sirius was leaning over watching Lara Malfoy under the pretence of um…watching Lara Malfoy.

James sighed; Sirius had never been good as disguising his actions. Partly the reason for the many detentions the marauders had received at Hogwarts.

James found his hazel eyes sliding towards a certain mop of fiery hair. Furious at himself he closed his eyes and focused on the voices carried up by the sea breeze. He caught the echo of Lily's battle plan

"…right so then broad swords are coming in led by Onyx here and your job is to smash up the place and get them to panic. Try to round them up if you can and keep them there. Then approximately eight minutes later Amethyst will lead the third and forth squadron up and round up the rest of the ships occupants. I don't want any surprises so check every nook and cranny. If I find that there's one soul on that boat that's not under watchful eye then heads are gonna roll and not the merchant's heads either. Now as soon as the ship is cleared than I want Amethyst to send up sparks. No Sapphire I don't care if they are sodding muggles, what the hell is the obliviation spell for? Once the sparks are out then we do the real pirating. Turquoise I want you and Ruby to keep an eye on the prisoners. No one blinks without my say so. Now lets do what we do best darlings. Savvy?"

"Aye Aye Captain!" came the joyous roar from the crew.

Lily surveyed her crew with pride. Even though most of the women were older than her they all treated her with the respect of captain. All however except Beryl, a cherub faced blonde with high ambitions to be captain when Lily retired… or before that.

Lily didn't think that there was any mutinous feeling aboard her ship but she did have to be careful. She resolved to keep an eye on Beryl in the future. But for now she signalled her crew to keep quiet and out of sight.

Lily looked up as the pirate flag that was usually flaunted upon the mast was silently taken down. To be replaced by a French flag. That would at least send the provost in the wrong direction if a merchant happened to get back to port and report the incident.

She had changed out of her earlier dress robes and into a demure white dress. White for innocence she thought deviously. Her hair had been carefully scraped out of her face and twisted into a style that was popular with French maidens at the moment. If one didn't know her better she would look like a French captain's daughter.

She felt eyes on her and swiftly looked into the eyes of Alexia's brother.

James Potter, now there was a mystery just begging to be solved. Arrogant and set in his ways he also seemed to be inquisitive about the pirates. Only when he thought no one was watching did he zealously observe each and every detail of the ship and its occupants. This was not the first time that she had felt his eyes on her.

She had sent them to the crows nest to keep them out of the way. The man was a bloody Gryffindor through and through. If he was allowed to prowl around she knew that he wouldn't hesitate to warn the merchants about the misfortune about to be bestowed upon them.

The only reason he was on the ship was for his sister but Lily couldn't help but feel there was more and she didn't get to where she was by not trusting her intuition.

A low whistle cut her out of her meditation. It was time. She beckoned to Alexia who was going to assist her, against her brother's wishes of course. But lily knew that this part of the plan was delicate and if she included Alexia then there was less chance that James would interfere. He would not do anything that could pose a threat to his little sister. Lily used that to her advantage.

The Emerald Shadow slid gracefully beside the other ship.

"Who goes there" a suspicious voice sounded across.

Lily and Alexia used two ropes to swing clumsily across to the other ship. When she landed stumbling Lily found herself at the mean end of thirteen swords and seven pistols. Squeaking femininely she backed away from the weapons until she hit the side of the deck with another yelp of fright.

The men looked guiltily at the thought of holding weapons against a woman. One of the nearest ones actually dropped his and helped her up. Alexia immediately rushed to her side and mopped her face with a handkerchief muttering French in a soothing tone of voice. Lily inwardly gasped with laughter at the insults she was throwing. Evidentially none of the men spoke French as they all looked on with remorse at the poor maiden.Finally one of them spoke up.

"Sorry 'bout that lass but yer can't be too careful, what with these being pirate waters and all. What were yer needin' us for anyhows?"

Lily apparently healed from her terrible shock spoke shyly

"Mon nom est Lulu and zis iz my sister Annabel. Our father sent us to ask for 'elp. 'E is needing ze map for zis part of ze oceane. Vill you 'elp us? Ve vould be very gratefull" She added coyly looking up at the men through her eye lashes. The men grinned

"The lass' is a frog" one of them called.

Alexia looked confused "Eh…Ribbit?" she asked tentatively.

The sailors roared with laughter. "Yep we'll help yer girly"

Lily grimaced internally. She _hated _being called girly. The captain nodded

"Lower the planks so they can cross". The crew rushed to obey. Except one.

A young brown haired girl who was not with the men admiring the new visitors. Instead she was admiring the ship on which they came. Suddenly she saw something that made her fill up with ice inside

"No don't put the planks down. They're pirates! This is the Emerald Shadow!"

she screamed to the captain but the last plank had already been put down. The confused captain looked towards the two girls just in time to see Lily's fist plant itself into his face knocking him out cold.

"That was for calling me girly" she snarled at the unconscious body.

Putting her fingers to her mouth Alexia let out a piercing whistle. A wave of women all brandishing long swords ran across the planks.

Led by the tall fierce looking Onyx they ravished the ship with fearsome war cries. The men who didn't know what to do in face of these Amazons ran about in a muddle. Some kept their heads but were overwhelmed. As support fled out of the inner bowels of the merchant ship Lily and Alexia calmly walked to the side of the boat amidst all the commotion. Passing over the boards connecting the two boats they strode to Shaiera who gave them a change of clothes.

A few minutes later even more screams were heard as Lara led the offence against the terrified merchants. Armed with short swords the second groupings were quicker and created more damage. The broadswords were just for show and to install fear. It was a basic trick but still effective.

Lily put on her hat just in time to see a multitude of silver and black sparks shoot into the air above the ship. In the muted light caused by the evening they were effective. Using a rope swing she elegantly swung over to the merchant ship and landed gracefully.

The scene that filled her eyes was a large group of people men. Women and children alike were sitting on the deck nervously watching the women circling them. All except for a young girl who looked about fourteen years of age who was still locked in a duel with Lara.

"Amethyst. Stop playing with the girl and finish it" Lily ordered.

Lara rolled her eyes but complied swiftly knocking the girl's sword out of her hands and putting her own blade to the girl's throat. The girl looked stunned and stared at them with large eyes. Rapidly Lily strode over and tilted the girls head to stare into the orangey eyes.

"Take her to the ship. Lapis Lazuli and keep an eye on her" Alexia nodded and holding the girl tightly so she wouldn't escape walked her over to the ship.

Lily turned to the hostages and spoke in a tone that contradicted the demure French personality she had on before.

"Good Evening Ladies and gents. My name is Emerald, captain of the Emerald Shadow and we will be robbing you tonight. So any funny business will result in the immediate demise of said person." Turning to her own crew she barked.

"You are pirates…so get pirating!"

_**Here we are again after the raid. Who is that girl that was taken on board? Well review and I will tell you next week!**_

_**A bullet sounds the same in every language**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	8. Amber Eyes

**_Well I'm back with an extra long chapter this time. Today we caught the Siamese cat that has been attacking my seventeen year old cat. So VICTORY IS OURS! Anyways Review and review. Enjoy! _**

Chapter Seven

There are many different reactions to different words.

For example when one yells 'Fire' then the expected reaction would be alarm and panic, and rushing for each exit. The word "Pirating' is different in response, though no less reactant in effect.

For as soon as the words left Captain Lily Evans lips, the crew of the Emerald Shadow burst into the actions that had been drilled into them from the day they stepped foot on the ship. Despite the hectic appearance, if one looked closely, one could see the control of the operation.

Within ten minutes of the initial command, the deck of the merchant ship was filled with rolls of pricey Arabian silk material, stacks of Persian carpets, chests of jewellery, trunks of stylish designer dresses, barrels of spices and a treasuries worth of precious gems.

Nodding satisfied at the valuables piled in front of her; Lily strode off to a small door she noticed off to the side. The door was the same colour as the boat, and would have nearly been indistinguishable if the newly revived captain of the merchant ship hadn't been glancing feverishly at it whenever anyone got too close.

The door was made to be virtually undetectable for a reason, and that, coupled with the captains ostensibly fear of its discovery, was the reason that Lily decided to have a look. Logically the door was locked, but obviously that was hardly a dare for the witch.

"Alohomora", she whispered, listening for the telltale click that would alert her to the spells success. A split second later she heard the click, and pushed the door, which swung open silently on whale blubber greased hinges.

Before entering she observed her crew's progress. Shaiera and Beatrice were keeping an eye on the prisoners. One rebel man already lay dead, tossed behind them and bleeding sluggishly from the wound made by Ruby's blade. Onyx, Sapphire, Chalcedony and Diamond were chatting about the new arrival and whether she would be joining the crew or not. The rest of the crew were either loading up the goods or finding new treasures to add to the pile.

The captain was staring at her in horror. She smirked at him. Lily searched the crowd for Lara, who she knew wouldn't be far away. In fact she was cavorting towards her right now, intent on finding out the secret of the room with her best friend.

"Now what do we have here, Red? Did you find a secret door Lils, you clever little girl, you", Lara asked in a mocking baby tone that reminded Lily scarily of the one and only time she had ever encountered Bellatrix Lestrange.

Shoving past her captain. she sashayed into the room. Lily hid a grin. Lara didn't walk, she strutted. And Lily wasn't entirely sure it was unconsciously done so either.

The room was proudly furnished in a way that refuted the unpretentious captain's behaviour. Lara looked uninterestedly at the numerous papers pinned against the wall and immediately began riffling through the drawers. pocketing a few items she came across in her exploration.

Lily, however, was more fascinated by the numerous maps that adorned the walls. Maps for every ocean and for every town discovered, and a few that weren't. Spotting a chest in the far corner she grabbed it and avariciously filed every map into it until the walls lay bare before her.

The floor was a different matter however. It was carpeted completely with the discarded letters and books that were thrown out in Lara's ravage. Ducking a book that was thrown by Lara without any regard for the safety of the person behind her, Lily looked at some of the paperwork garnishing the floors.

Arrest warrants, letters from suppliers and clientele, and a few raunchy letters from women waiting at home littered Lily's feet. Nothing of interest anyway. Except for a half written letter discussing a map that had come into the possession of the captain of the merchant ship. The letter didn't state what the map was but when Lily looked at the address of the letter she realised with a start that it was addressed to the provost himself.

A cry of triumph came from Lara. Lily looked over to where her friend was staring at the bottom of the third drawer.

"Wow Lara. It seems that no drawer is a match for your superior tidying techniques. But I have to wonder of course my dear, why exactly is it that you find so fascinating about the bottom." Lara looked up briefly and smirked at her captain

"You're not the only one who can find secretly hidden things" she declared pressing down lightly in the middle of the base which then popped open. Inside was a yellowed piece of parchment. Lara sighed in disgruntlement

"And here I was thinking that it was going to be something remarkable. But it's just a stupid bit of parchment" she groaned throwing the parchment over her shoulder, without a second thought. Lily snatched the parchment before it could join its kin on the ground. Examining it carefully she smiled, elated.

"Oh don't be so bloody fastidious, Lara. It's not just a piece of parchment. It's a map. It's a treasure map"

"Oh golly. A treasure map do you say" a slightly mocking voice joined in to the conversation "Are we by any chance going on a treasure hunt?" Lily gave a fierce look to James Potter who strode into the lodgings with his posse of Lupin and Blacks not far behind him.

"Whatever. It's probably stupid treasure anyways" Lara sulked at the map. Then she caught sight of the men and tilted her head.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the crows nest right now?" she asked accusingly.

Sirius sighed "We were in the crows nest and then we became bored. It looked more exciting down here and the attack was over. Also Remus was getting slightly anxious with being so high up all the time."

He indicated to Remus who still had a greyish tinge. Lily sighed impatiently at them.

"Well, you still disobeyed my orders so that will be a week's worth of scrubbing the decks" James gasped outraged

"We will do no such thing. I am the head of the Potter family and I refuse to dirty myself with servant's work" Lily glanced at him unimpressed

"That will be two weeks for you, Potter" she said coolly, before tucking the map into her shirt and marching out. Lara picked up the chest containing the maps from the wall and shoved them into Sirius's arms

"Here, love. Make yourselves useful and help carry some of that booty back to the Shadow will you?" Remus complied immediately; James reluctantly after a few prods and glares from the first mate.

Between the practised Emerald Shadow crew and the three noticeably fit blokes the pile of treasures diminished in a drastically short time into the pirate's ship. Finally as the last roll of high-priced cloth was carried on board Lily commanded the crew to prepare for sail. The only ones left on the boat were Lily, Lara, Shaiera, James, Sirius and Remus. Only because the latter three refused to leave.

"I thank you all deeply for this rewarding experience. I hope that we can do business with you again sometime. Of course what kind of guests would we be if we didn't leave you something to remember us by, a present one might say" With this Lily grinned fiercely and raised her wand

"Umbra Pulsatus!" she hollered. A giant shape shot out of her wand to rest in the sky above the merchant ship. A huge emerald shrouded by shadows like a robe gleamed wildly at the stunned hostages. It was a complete replica of the emblem on the house elf's dress and the flag displayed proudly once again on the mast.

The captives were shocked into complete silence and James wondered again what the hell the captain was doing exposing herself to the group of obvious muggles. Lily grabbed a small blue velvet bag that had been hanging at her waist. Turning to the people behind her she murmured

"Better turn away from this" more for the men's benefit than Lara and Shaiera. Everyone complied, even James who realised that this was no time to be an ass. Of course he didn't phrase it in that way but that was the general gist of it. From the bag she brought out a small sphere which glittered with all the colours of the different gems. Tossing it lightly over her shoulder Lily whispered

"Activer l'amnésie" and there was a flash of colours that reflected onto the water below them. Lily turned to the unconscious detainees and collected her sphere which she then put back into her bag.

"Come" she commanded stepping over the last plank onto her ship. The others followed suit with Shaiera kicking the plank into the ocean once everyone was across.

"Bring me Alexia and the girl" she commanded a passing girl. The girl with a Chalcedony on her belt ran to comply to her captains wishes.

"Potter, Black, Lupin you can go now if you wish."

"No thank you Lily" Remus replied with a small smile "I think that we will watch. If it is alright with you of course" Lily shrugged

"Suit yourselves". Before long Chalcedony returned with Alexia with a struggling girl held tightly between them. They deposited her on the floor in front of Lily and sat back to watch. The girl tried to stand but found she couldn't as Shaiera held out her wand and was holding her there until she calmed down. The girl shrieked hysterically at being temporarily paralysed and flailed about until Lara grabbed her wand and squirted the girl with water.

"It works on dogs" She shrugged in response to Lily's glare. Lily knelt down beside the girl whom, though she was absolutely drenched was much calmer.

"Hey kid" she spoke softly and serenely to keep the girl from lashing out again out of fear. That didn't seem to be a problem

"Hay is for horses" The girl snarled glaring up at the group with incensed eyes.

"Hay isn't just restricted to horses. There are also the cows and asses to think about" Lara added helpfully. This seemed to enrage the girl further and she attempted to lunge at the black haired woman. The enchantment stopped her from going more than half a meter and she was cut short falling back to the ground with a thump.

"Me thinks that we need to get this lass some anger management classes" Lara drawled out staring at the girl with censure.

"Lara play nice. Don't you remember the first time you were on this ship?"

"Yes I do Shaiera and I remember grasping the opportunity as soon as I could before it flew away. I remember wanting to do anything to get away from the purity obsessed loons that sired me"

"Lara shut up" Lily snapped "Now girl what is your name. And I **will **know if you lie to me" The girl looked down knowing she was beaten

"I am Delia Michaels. I am-was an orphan on the ship that you just raided" Lily nodded satisfied

"I am Lily Evans, captain of the Emerald Shadow and I am formally extending an invitation for you to join my crew. Think about it Delia, you have no parents and judging by your clothing no money. If you join we will bring you riches and treat you like a part of a family. We will teach you new things and protect you if you are harmed. Do you accept?"

Delia considered for a moment then nodded hesitantly then confidently. Lily smiled at her

"Welcome to the family Amber"

_**There we are that was a nice long one wasn't it? For a few hours of writing with a hell of a lot of breaks in between it is. I'm mean housework, shopping for milk, dinner, dishes the interruptions never end. Here is Amber the new recruit. Some people already guessed her name so kudos to you guys. Review…review…review…review…review…**_


	9. Chalcedony Eyes

_**Here I am! What's happening darlings? As I write there is a duck quacking outside my window for some weird reason. Anyways review and enjoy as always… **_

Chapter Eight

There are things that one is willing to put up with in the name of friendship. The feline familiar of one Lara Malfoy is not one of them. In Lily's point of view anyway.

"Lara! Get your mangy feline out of my room or so help me I will throw that bloody cat into the ocean!" Lily screamed at six o'clock in the morning.

Remarkably her voice was heard throughout every room in the ship. It also had the added bonus of waking up each occupant on the Emerald Shadow. The majority went back to sleep but a few stayed behind as Lily smashed open her door and a black blur flew out dodging the items thrown at it.

"Lady Mariah von Squitenbaum of Berryburg is not a mangy feline" Lara informed her captain while petting the cat which was now perched on her shoulder glaring at everyone.

"Good grief. You named your cat Lady Mariah von Squitenbaum of Berryburg?" Remus asked incredulously.

Lara shrugged "I couldn't think of anything else."

"Did 'Fluffy' not occur to you?" Delia snapped.

"Of course not. Nothing relatively sane ever occurs in Lara's mind" Shaiera put in derisively.

"Her names Mimi for short" Alexia added cheerfully.

"How did you get Mimi from Lady Mariah von squidge-whatsit?" Delia stared at Lara

"Lady Mariah von Squitenbaum of Berryburg. And Alexia gave her the nickname and Mimi just adores it. Isn't that right mimsi-wimsi?" Lara cooed in a baby tone to the animal on her shoulder.

Lily gave a shudder "Don't do that baby voice. It reminds me of Bellatrix"

A wining smile was directed at her "What ever do you mean Emerald dear? Bella is a lovely girl. A little off her rocker but an absolute sweetie all the same"

"Bellatrix? As in Bellatrix Lestrange my cousin?" Sirius asked with horror on his face "How on earth could you call that wench sweet?"

"I don't think that you should project you negative emotions for you cousin on to us. It's really quite disconcerting" Lara fluttered her eyes lashes at him.

"Look I don't know how you got on to the subject of Sirius's cousin but I want that cat off my ship" Lily snapped glaring at Mimi who glared just as ferociously back.

"You are so prejudiced against my cat. What ever did she do to you?" Lara whined long suffering.

"The first time you brought that thing onto my ship she ate one of my socks and threw it up on my bed-" Lily began.

"I'd throw it up too if I had the misfortune to ingest something that putrid" Lara snickered. Lily continued as if she had never been interrupted

"She terrorises the house elves. Leaves 'presents' of dead mice, newts and god knows what else. She leaves terror in her wake. And I have lost the amount of times I have cast repairio on the mast because _Mimi _takes it onto her head to turn it into a scratching pole"

"The house elves need to have a little chaos now and then to keep them on their feet. She leaves these gifts because she loves us and as for the mast thing she needs to have sharp claws in case she is ever attacked" Lara defended.

"Well I suppose that you have been a little selective in your opinion of the cat. I'm sure it is quite a lovely cat deep _deep _down…" Shaiera tried before bursting out in laughter "I'm sorry I can't say that with a straight face"

"You know. I think the reason Mimi is so short tempered is because Lady Mariah is actually a _Lord _Mariah" Delia guessed pointing to the cats 'parts'. Everyone craned their heads to have a look and indeed Delia was correct. Mimi was irrefutably a boy.

"Stop eye molesting my bloody cat!" Lara demanded "And _you, _new recruit. Get to the mess hall pronto. Your lessons start today"

"Really" James looked interested "What kind of curriculum will Miss Michaels be following?"

Alexia though for a minute "Calligraphy, navigation, combat, magical studies, larceny, and things like that. Oh and we also learn the basics of pirating and being on a ship. The lessons are spread out with different teachers but the main teacher is Turquoise. Amethyst does some of the fighting training but the captain barred her from most of the lessons as she scares the new girls"

"I do not. This all stems from Lily's uncalled for discrimination against my cat" Lara claimed. Everyone ignored her.

"Shall we all get dressed then?" Shaiera asked around "We can talk about the instruction later after breakfast"

"Of course" Lily nodded before turning back into her room. The others copied her example. Lara still holding her cat.

"So Lily" James turned to her after they had all finished breakfast "Do you have any plans for that treasure map you found or are you just going to let it perish under your shirt?"

"I have to find where it leads to first. Tom Riddle is after this map and I don't want any unnecessary trouble. I am not willing to risk my crew over something that holds no value to us."

"Speaking of treasure. Who is dividing up the stuff from the merchant ship?" Alexia asked interestedly.

"Ruby can do it. She's an absolute genius when it comes to arithmetic" Lily waved her hand dismissively.

"Potter, Black, Lupin. Do any of you know anything about runes or symbols? The map has some weird pictures on it and I can't decipher them"

Remus looked interested at the idea "I took a bit of Ancient runes at Hogwarts. I shall se if I can be of assistance"

Lily smiled at him. James scowled at him "There was a book of symbols at my ancestral home. I will assist you as well" Lily gave James a smile as well.

"Thank you James. Now Amber your first lesson will be in sword fighting with Amethyst. I saw that you already have a bit of skill with a blade already on the boat and Lara will help you develop that. Shaiera will also help. Alexia, James, Remus and Sirius if he wants to will follow me to my bureau and we shall get a start on the map"

Lara looked gleeful and dragged Delia towards the weaponry. Shaiera followed them. Lily strode up to a door marked 13 which showed a full portrait of the Emerald Shadow in all its glory. The door opened immediately to her command to reveal the captains office.

The room was big and airy with a large mahogany desk strewn with papers. One of the walls was covered in the maps taken from the merchant's ship and the other was adorned with portraits not unlike the ones in the headmaster's office in Hogwarts.

The portraits showed women of all different ages but all with gleaming gem coloured eyes. These were the past captains of the Emerald shadow here to offer advice to the current captain. Whether it was wanted or not

"When I was the captain we didn't allow men on our ship." A glaring blonde growled "This is your entire fault Roesia. You picked her"

She looked pointedly at a thin woman with a mass of bouncy curls. the curly haired woman sighed tiredly "You know as well as I do Adelina that we don't choose the captains. The ship does"

"Well all I can say is that the ship didn't choose an incompetent girl when I retired" Adelina snipped back.

This provoked the rest of the portraits to argue either for or against Lily.

"Will you all be quiet? Your reason for being here is to offer advice should the present captain need it…AND I DON'T NEED IT!" Lily shouted the portraits into submission.

Growling irritably to herself under her breath she made her way to the large desk and waved her wand at the papers spread over the desk. They zoomed into piles which flew to shelves lining the room.

Lily laid the map down flat on the desk with four heavy cut glass stones to anchor it down. Remus and James lent over to examine it while Sirius and Alexia wandered round examining everything.

The parchments held a map of an isle which neither of them had ever seen before. Beside the sketch of the island were some instructions or so it seemed to get to the island. The only problem was they were not in any language that was recognised. On each corner was a small picture of some sort of symbol or rune.

Remus shook his head "I am sorry Lily but these are not runes that I am familiar with"

James frowned "They look slightly memorable yet they elude my reminiscence. Do you perhaps have a book?"

"If I had a book I wouldn't be asking you about it would I?" Lily grumbled disappointed "Well, do any of you recognise the tongue that this is written in?"

Remus evaluated the words "I think its Gaelic"

"Gaelic? Who do I know that speaks Gaelic?"

Sirius's head popped up "I speak it" Everyone stared at him

"What? My second cousin taught me" he came over and studied the paper on the desk.

"It is translated into…

'_Search for me now but take heed_

_For what I possess is not for greed_

_A treasure that is not of asset_

_It can only be found when the sunsets_

_First find a woman which age is strong_

_Gift a flower that blooms yearlong_

_She will direct you on your way_

_Accept the flower as her pay_

_Listen closely for she dare not lie_

_To pure of heart that be thy_

_Follow the clue but be wary_

_For the consequences may vary_

_For those with tainted intent_

_May not find the desired content…_"

**_You have no idea how long it took me to make that up. First I tried to find a warning off Google that was poetic then I was going to translate it to Gaelic but I couldn't find an adequate translator. So I did it myself. I hope you like it. I may not be able to update next week as I have exams over the next two weeks. They start in two days and I haven't yet studied. They're mock exams but still it's a bad habit. Wish me luck...hopefully in your reviews (hint hint)_**

**_Quotes are like a Women's' skirt, it must be short enough to grab your attention, but long enough to cover the subject_**

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	10. Andalusite Eyes

**_Hey guys, sorry for the lateness of this chapter but my dads work cancelled our internet connection by accident and we have to wait for them to fix it. So doom on them…doom on them. Enjoy!_**

Chapter Nine

Lord provost Tom Marvolo Riddle was not in a good mood.

This particular gent was not usually in a pleasant frame of mind but today he was particularly cantankerous.

A merchant ship was pilfered from under his very nose by the most sordid breed known to the high class society, pirates.

He did not care much for the fabric, gems and wealth that was on board. After all items like that were taken every day and merchant ships were never out of supply of such reserves. No, the item that he had in mind was much more valuable.

Though Tom knew many a man who would sell their mothers to get their hands on such a treasure the value of the article was more sentimental and Tom wanted it.

He had employed a man by the name of Pettigrew to assist in the acquisition and arrival of the map but somehow the snivelling worm ran into pirates.

And he couldn't even remember anything about the attack. The only clue so far was a bizarre ghostly picture in the sky above where the raid had taken place.

Tom subtly probed Pettigrew's mind with legilimency and found nothing of aid. It was as if the mans memory had been cleared of anything that may have assisted in the capture of the pirates who were audacious enough to steal an item belonging to Tom in his own territory.

They would pay for showing up his strength and his control. If the pirates got away unscathed then the public would begin to doubt his handle on the pirates and maybe even his competence in his position as provost.

He could-no _would _not let that happen. The people of London were too stupid to know that they needed him but he knew that they would not survive with out him.

The muggles would infiltrate even the purest of blood lines and magic would be tarnished even more than it was with all the mudbloods cunningly placed within the magical society.

There had to be something that would persecute the buccaneers, they had to have made a slip up that would enable him to find their whereabouts and once again be in possession of the map.

In Peter Pettigrew's memories where there should have been images of the assault there was only a flash of vivacious colours and a voice murmuring "Activer l'amnésie".

Tom vaguely realised that as the effect if the Orb of Amnesia which had gone missing from civilisation a few years ago. _Now we know where it has been _Tom though to himself.

The voice commanding it was unmistakably female from the pitch. Though she spoke French with familiarity Tom doubted that it was her first language, there was a slight English tinge to the accent though it was hardly recognisable.

Stubbornly he flicked through Pettigrew's memories to find even a clue of the identity of the pirates. Until he came across an image a split second long of two maidens in modest white dresses.

One of the maidens had the messiest black hair he had ever seen on a woman; the girl was obviously a Potter. The youngest female Alexia had been missing for four years and not a trace was seen of her, until now.

So the Potter girl joined with pirates, what kind of crew would allow a girl to remain in their ranks?

Tom decided to have a 'talk' with Mrs Potter and see if she had any information on her wayward daughter.

The other girl he hardly recognised until he saw the eyes. This was of course Mrs Violet Evans daughter Lily; no one could mistake the emerald green of the eyes that was usually passed through the male relatives but somehow made it's way into the eyes of the second eldest.

So Alexia Potter and Lily Evans are the key to finding the pirates and Tom's prize. He grinned at the cowering figure before his feet.

"Get up Pettigrew" he commanded in a slightly high pitched icy voice

"We are going to pay dear Mrs Potter a visit."

* * *

"I hate poetry" Lily complained "It kills romance".

James who was writing down the verse on a spare bit of parchment shook his head in disagreement

"Actually it has been taught that poetry is the food of love not the eradicator"

"Absolutely Prongs. There is nothing like a bit of overindulgent rhymes to get lasses into your bed" Sirius grinned at Alexia's shocked expression

"Bite your tongue Sirius Orion Black!" She warned "You're mother would be ashamed of you"

Sirius scowled at her "My mother was a heartless bat and you know it"

Their banter was interrupted by a large ripping sound outside. Lily smacked her palm on her forehead

"Lara that had better not be my sail" she yelled running outside. Outside there was a large tear in the mail sail and the crew were crowded round it laughing.

"What the hell happened?" Lily demanded

"Lara threw and Delia ducked about sums it up" Shaiera giggled pointing to the spear lodged halfway in the sail.

"It was completely Ambers fault" Lara claimed

"What for not being hit?" Delia growled at her "And who throws a spear at a trainee?"

Lara rolled her eyes "Well in a battle field they ain't going to put off killing you until you learn the proper skills to defend yourself are they?"

"As much as it pains me to admit Lara is right in theory but that still doesn't mean she can throw weapons at the trainees.I mean what if Delia has gotten hit" Shaiera asked. Lily grinned manically

"Then Amethyst would have gotten a visit from our resident healer Andalusite"

"Oh Goddess not Pomfrey. She will murder me then feed me some disgusting tasting potion to fix me just so she can kill me again. I swear that woman is a sadist" Lara wailed theatrically.

"You are such a drama queen" Lily remarked dryly "Alright crew back to work! You've had your fill of today's Amethyst stupidity. Run away now before you get infected" Pulling out her wand she cast a Repario charm onto the sail

"Maybe it's time for some nice safe calligraphy. Lapis Lazuli, could you please get some parchment, inkwells and a quill?" Lily asked

"Why don't you just use the parchment in Jamie's hand?" Alexia snatched at the paper. She started to read it

"Search for me now but take heed, for what I possess is not for greed, a treasure that is not of asset, it can only be found when the sunsets, first find a woman which age is strong, gift a flower that blooms yearlong, she will direct you on your way, accept the flower as her pay, listen closely for she dare not lie, to pure of heart that be thy, follow the clue but be wary, for the consequences may vary, or those with tainted intent, may not find the desired content. Wow James I never knew that you were a poet. Is this one of the abstract ones?" she asked earnestly.

"It's a warning that we found on the map, Sirius translated it from Gaelic for us. We're still trying to figure out what it means" Remus clarified.

"You speak Gaelic?" Lara asked Sirius sceptically.

"My cousin Araminta is a leprechaun" he explained.

"It's like clues" Shaiera thought out loud "The treasure is found when the sunsets and it seems to be more sentimental value than monetary. It needs to be found by pure of heart and not for greed. We need a woman with whom age is strong and give her a flower that blooms yearlong as her payment for telling us the next step. She will not lie to those she thinks are innocent but if you want the treasure for sin then the penalty will change"

"So we have to give an old lady a flower so she will tell us more poetry?" James raised his eyebrows.

"It never said whether her clue would be in a poem or not. It just said direct us on our way" Lily glared at him "I guess that the old woman could be someone very old"

"Are you meaning Minnie McGonagall old or Penny Flamel old?" Lara asked inquisitively.

"That's it!" Shaiera grinned hugging a shocked Lara "Penella Flamel is the oldest woman in the world topping six centuries. That's a strong age"

Lily nodded "But how are we going to find Mrs Flamel? Do any of you know where she lives?"

"Dumbledore may, after all he is acquaintances with the Flamel's" Remus mused

"How do you know that Dumbledork isn't the one we're looking for ay? At least a hundred and fifty on that one. Plus we want strength and I think that Dumbles is stronger than Penella" Lara looked warily at Remus who rolled his eyes

"Dumbledork-dore is a man and we are looking for a woman"

"You _say _that he is a man but how do you know? Have you looked under his robes? Is that what you were doing during all those 'talks' in his office" Sirius joined in with Lara looking suspiciously at Remus.

"You know exactly what those talks were about Sirius. They were about my 'condition' do you remember?" he looked pointedly at Sirius who had realisation dawning on his face.

"So we are calling on Dumbledore at Hogwarts and acquiring the address of Mrs Flamel. Correct?" James enquired.

"Of course" Lily agreed with him then bellowed out "Attention ladies! Prepare to set sail. We're heading for Hogwarts"

**_So we got a glimpse into the twisted mind of one Tom Marvolo Riddle aka Lord Voldemort. And what a twisted mind it is indeed. Once again I apologise for the internet thing but blame my dads work. Doom on them… –Cough- I kind of did well in my exams I fail some bit that I decided not to study for I.e. Human biology, math. So review anyways. _**

**_Thou shalt not disturb thy sleeping dragon for thou art crispy and good with ketchup. _**

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

**_XXX _**


	11. Beryl Eyes

**_Hello dear readers. I'm back after last week's fiasco. I bullied my dads work into bringing back our internet a new system is what I got out of it so that paid off. Here we are going into Hogwarts and I finally have some L&J fluff. Not that much but if you squint it's there. Nice long chappy today. Enjoy!_**

Chapter Ten

It did not take the Emerald Shadow very long to make the journey from the English Channel to Scotland where Hogwarts was located. This was of course due top the abundance of magic on board.

Having heard about the map and the promise of treasure had the crew in high spirits. The entire journey took less than a day and by the next morning saw Lily and her crew wandering Hogsmeade in search of Dumbledore.

Unfortunately it was a Hogsmeade weekend and the mass of students running around made the task less than simple. After several goose chases and four 'splitting up' ideas that did not work Lily threw up her hands and dismissed her crew to do whatever they pleased.

Declaring that Lily needed 'a good stiff drink' in her Lara dragged her to a small dirty pub called the Hogshead. Lily grabbed hold of Shaiera who grabbed Delia who grabbed Alexia. James followed Alexia as the thought of his baby sister going into a soiled place like that without an escort was far to daunting to contemplate. Sirius followed James because he too was in need of getting foxed and Remus not wanting to be left behind followed them all into the dark dingy tavern.

The first thing that hit was the overwhelming smell of alcohol coming from nearly every resident in there. The only noticeably sober ones already in there were the old bar keeper who though was as filthy as the rest of the place was undoubtedly clear headed. The other was a man perched upon one of the bar stools.

This man stood out from the inhabitants not because he was clean but because he was dressed in a most ostentatious manner. Rainbow ducks doing the horizontal tango adorned the hems while the cloak itself was a lurid orange.

The man had half moon glasses not obscuring twinkling blue eyes that would annoy even the most even tempered of people. His abnormally long beard was tucked into a rhinestone studded belt.

"Albus Dumbledore I presume" Lily stated, her voice carrying into even the most intoxicated drunks ear. Dumbledore looked up from his 'boisterous booze bomb' and studied the woman standing before him.

"That would be my name. But of course how you got it remains to be seen" His gaze then flicked to the rest of the group and his frown deepened especially on Lara and Alexia. The he caught sight of the marauders and a huge smile lit his face and the puckered brow gave way to large dimples.

"James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Why this certainly is a pleasant surprise. If memory serves correct you graduated several years ago but then again I find Hogwarts has a way of bringing you back"

James smiled at him "Hello headmaster. I believe you know my sister Alexia? Well these ladies are acquaintances of hers Lily Evans, Lara Malfoy, Shaiera Bel Canto and Delia Michaels." Dumbledore nodded at them all and extended his hand towards the bartender

"This is my younger brother Aberforth. This charming establishment in which we find ourselves now is owned by him" The craggy barkeeper grunted in acknowledgement.

"Mr Dumbledore we, that is my friends and I have some questions for you. Perhaps we could go to somewhere a little more erm, _secluded. _So as not to run the risk of being overheard of course" Lily asked glancing at the small amount of inhabitants. Dumbledore beamed at her

"Of course my dear. We can use my office" And bidding goodbye to Aberforth strode out the door into the busy streets.

"Sir may we bring some associates with us?' Shaiera asked him "They will of course hear everything later"

"Of course Miss Bel Canto, I also find unnecessary repeating tedious"

"Well I find that bloody twinkle in you eye tedious" Lara muttered under her breath. Sirius his a smirk. Lily once again let out one of her piercing whistles and the majority of Hogsmeade winced. Within the space of thirty seconds the entire crew of the Emerald Shadow appeared in groups.

If Dumbledore was surprised at the amount of 'associates' he showed no surprise. Together the large group made their way through the crowd towards Hogwarts ignoring the scowls of shoppers pushed aside.

As Dumbledore led them through the castle many of the crew exclaimed in delight as they had never been to the castle. They had either been Home schooled or gone to Beauxbatons. Finally after uttering 'Ice Mice' to the gargoyle the assemblage filled upstairs.

Fawkes chirped questioningly to the crowd of people infiltrating the office then flew to perch on Alexia's shoulder. Alexia giggled as he ran his beak through her unruly mane. Dumbledore sat at his desk and regarded them all through his spectacles.

"What is the issue you wish to represent onto me?" He asked Lily having correctly made her out to be the leader.

"We wish to know the whereabouts of Perenelle Flamel and as you are acquaintances with the Flamel's then I presume you will know"

Dumbledore leant back into his chair "What are you reasons. As you can understand I would not give up information on my friends that would result in their being in danger"

"Though the information I need is not of your business I shall inform you that I have happened to come across a map and I need to find Mrs Flamel as she could be the first clue. If that is so then I doubt that she will resent your release of her whereabouts" Lily reasoned.

Dumbledore thought, stroking his chin "I suppose so. Would you be prepared to drink Veritaserum? Or take an unbreakable vow to ensure that you will not harm them?" He asked at last.

Lily nodded "Do you have a potions master ready?" Dumbledore searched her face them smiled

"No need. Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel can be found in the island of Immortalis est aurum just off the coast of Dublin. The name roughly translates to Immortality is gold referring to the alchemy work of the Flamel's" Lily grinned at him in thanks. Turning to her crew she declared

"You heard him. Let's get back to the ship and we'll set sail without further ado" The crew instantaneously groaned protests and pleaded to stay just one more day in the village. Dumbledore looked shocked

"You mean to say that you aren't going to stay for the funeral?' he asked James concerned.

"Funeral? Who died?" he asked blankly. Dumbledore's expression turned ashen

"Of course you have been at sea" he muttered to himself "James my boy you better sit down. You too Miss Potter" he directed at Alexia. James remained where he was

"I think I will take stay where I am. Now who has died?" he added impatiently. Dumbledore closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Two day's ago Melania Potter was found dead in her home" Alexia had sat down immediately after hearing the words. James remained standing but was swaying a tad on the spot.

His mother. His charming, spirited, beautiful mother was gone. He hardly heard Dumbledore's next words

"I had hoped the news had gotten too you while you were at sea but obviously not. The funeral is to be held this afternoon in fact. I assumed that was why you were here. I am so very sorry" Memories were playing through his mind.

James as a child on his first broomstick, Alexia being born, the surprise celebration on his eleventh birthday when he got his Hogwarts letter, her surprise visit on his first game of quiddich reassuring him that he would do brilliantly, her pride as he made head boy. She was always there but now she was not.

He didn't hear Lily shooing her crew out the door, Alexia beginning to cry and being comforted by Lara, Shaiera, Delia, Remus and Sirius who both put aside their grief to help her with hers. He did however feel Lily slide her arms around him and pull him close. Gradually drops began to fall from his still shocked eyes and he buried his face in her embrace. Feeling her arms tightening around his shaking body and her tranquil voice reassuring him.

* * *

The funeral was held in the Potter grounds where all Potters were buried. It was not by any means small. Melania Potter was a very well liked woman in society and many came to pay their respects.

James stood numbly with Sirius and Remus on one side while Lily still stood there beside him her hand locked in his offering support. Her emerald eyes were hidden by a veil as were the other pirate women. The eyes were too distinctive for them to be flaunted in public.

Alexia stood shivering as rain began to fall and Lara reached out and locked her in her arms leaning against Sirius. Delia grasped the hand of her new friend and Shaiera lent against Remus who had his arm round her waist. They all offered mutual support to each other silent in words but loud in actions.

"…Though her body lies in the ground may her spirit roam free. Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust." The priest finished his eulogy in a grave tone and many laid flowers upon her grave. Alexia started a frenzied commentary to Lara about the flowers being arranged

"Mother hated daffodils, said they were too yellow but I didn't expect Lady Amanda to remember that. Spiteful bitch I bet this is the only time she's ever gotten the upper hand on ma. She liked Lilies though. Isn't it funny that Lilies are the flower of death and now they are being placed on her grave? I bet ma would have loved Lily as well; she would be delighted to have a girl with the same name as her favourite flowers marry James. I bet they'll have cute children as well. If they have a boy he will look like James but have Lily's eyes. I love Lily's eyes they are my favourite feature on her face. Not that I don't love the rest of her but her eyes are my favourite-"she was cut off from her rambling by the arrival of the Lord Provost Tom Riddle.

"Lord Potter may I be the first to say how truly regretful I am for your mothers passing. She was a beautiful woman inside and out." He drawled in a tone that suggested that he thought nothing of the sort.

"Thank you Lord Riddle for your kind words" James ground out. Tom's gaze shifted to Lara

"Lady Malfoy. I am sure that your family will be relieved to find you safe and well in such _pleasant _company "he spoke the word with as much disgust he could put into it. Lara simpered at him

"Yes do tell dear Lucy how much I miss him and his 'affection'. After all what's life with out a few Crucio's to liven up your day?"

"I shall pass the word onto Lucius. Now I must ask for your forgiveness as a meeting requires my attendance" with that Tom disapparated. Shaiera frowned

"I thought that you couldn't apparate or disapparate inside the wards of the Potter manor?"

"They took the wards down for the funeral for the convenience of the guests" Remus explained.

"Lovely" Lara acknowledged "Let us use this rare occurrence to go back to Hogsmeade to round up the rest of the crew. I don't think that staying here is doing any good and I shudder to think what will happen if Lucius turns up"

Lily nodded her affirmation and they all apparated with Delia doing side along with Shaiera. Lily's hand was still firmly clasped in James's.

* * *

In the office of Tom Riddle a lone woman sat. Blonde tresses adorned a face with cherub cheeks and eyes the pale green of Beryl. A crack sounded in the air and Tom Riddle stood in front of the woman.

"Well?" he demanded of her. She smiled up at him prettily

"Lord Riddle I have recently come into some information regarding a certain map…"

**_That was a longish chapter. Anyone know who the woman was? It's pretty obvious. Not much action regarding Shaiera and Lara but I did get some L&J fluff in their. There are some hints at relationships evolving with the characters and that too is pretty obvious. I guess subtly is not my forte. Sorry about last week but we're getting a new computer this week and I told mum not until I put up the new chapters on my fanfics. So yea…review. _**

_**Life without a friend is like death with out a witness…**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

**_XXX _**


	12. Ruby Eyes

_**Hello all I'm back after shamelessly murdering the Potter matriarch. Here's the next chapter which I started kind of late, review and enjoy!**_

Chapter Eleven

The Emerald Shadow left the London port in a state of mourning for Melania Potter but the grief stayed upon the ship in the form of Alexia.

The three marauders hid their grief and repressed it until they could at least put up a normal facade but nothing could console the youngest Potter female of having been robbed of the only caring parent she'd ever known.

Harold Potter though fond of his children and wife found it hard to express his feelings through caring actions thus he found an outlet for these emotions by preparing his children for the lives they were born into.

He groomed James into a young gentleman fit to be the lord of the Potter house and deficient in the youthful marauder spirit he had before. Alexia he groomed to be the epitome of feminine, the perfect wife for any man. To his wife he gave her two children to love and give all the affection that he was lacking.

This principle he had adopted drove a wedge between him and his children and as such they depended on Melania for the love of two parents which she gladly gave. Her death had a greater effect on the Potter siblings than that of their father for these reasons. For they did not know the reasoning behind his aloofness and resented him for it.

Alexia was withdrawn from everyone and no longer held the childlike innocence that she was best known for on the ship. Everyone tried to bring her out of the depression but no one succeeded. Amber managed to get a few words out of her and Sirius got a small grin after walking into the mast while staring at Lara but that was it.

Surprisingly the one who actually brought her spirit back was Beryl. The normally bitter tempered Blonde tried after she apparated on board sporting what Lara declared was 'sex hair'. She was subjected to the crews teasing jibes about her secret lover which gave her even more reason to despise Lily.

After all Lara was her best friend, first mate and a member of her crew. In Beryl's opinion Emerald had the power to silence Amethyst and the rest of the crew from the barbing insults and the fact that she didn't was a direct offence to Beryl herself. She decided to take out her frustration on someone she knew wouldn't bite back; Lapis Lazuli.

"For gods sake can't you get over it already?" Beryl growled at an unresponsive Alexia "I mean you are a pathetic excuse for a pirate but a pirate none the less. Do you think your mother would have wanted to know you after she found out? You're lucky that she's dead she that she wouldn't have to live with the shame of having you as a daughter. Siring a pirate is bad enough for a noble but what about having your child known as a failed pirate. You can't even pillage properly…"

She didn't notice the growing fire in Alexia's eyes or the guttural growl in her throat. She did however notice the sharp reply

"Of course you're just perfect aren't you Beryl? I bet the only people you've managed to steal from are the sleeping men who have half wittedly paid you to bed them. And they're asleep the whole time because they don't want to look at your ugly face! How much did you earn this time? Probably not much as the men who do pay for your services are broke drunks who can't afford anyone else!"

Beryl's face turned red with anger and she raised a hand to slap Alexia for her impertinence but before her arm could connect it was intercepted by a large hand with an iron grip.

"I would not think that wise Miss Beryl." James snarled, still holding painfully onto Beryl's arm "If you harm my sister it is an insult upon myself. You do not want to be insulting me as it may be the very last thing that you ever do"

He released her and she shot back from his area of reach. Still rubbing her arm Beryl glared at the Potter lord

"As head of her house it is your duty to deal with her insolence if protested upon by the injured party"

"Of course" James nodded and turned to Alexia "Good verbal play" he winked at her

"How dare you!" Beryl screeched once again regaining his attention "I want justice for the wrong that has been dealt to me by Lapis Lazuli. Did you not hear the insults she shot at me?"

James considered her "But if the so called 'insults' given to you turned out to be true…?" He prodded. If possible Beryl looked like she was about to explode

"How dare you sir! I am NOT a whore as was stated by your wench of a sister"

"Oh are you not?" Lara asked in a disappointed tone"Damn, I guess that means I owe Shaiera a galleon"

The entire crew had come up behind Beryl, James and Alexia during the argument and though everyone was happy that Alexia's spark was back there still was the matter of how her spirit returned in the first place.

Lily was not impressed by the show of maltreatment that Beryl showed and finished the argument herself

"The insults by Lapis Lazuli were provoked by you and thus they are valid and permitted. Yours however were not and included the verbal desecration of a woman recently passed. They were completely unprovoked. I do not condemn petty bullying on my ship and so Beryl for your vindictiveness you will be on latrine duty for a month" Beryl opened her mouth to argue but Lily cut her off

"Without magic. This is _my_ ship and it's high time that you paid respect to _my_ rules which includes prohibiting malicious harassment"

"What about your blind eye to the rest of the crews 'malicious harassment'?" demanded Beryl sneering on Lily's term like it was a disgusting swearword.

"That was only friendly teasing. You could have stood up for yourself but what they did was irrelevant to your sickening display of aggression to a girl who is mourning for her mother. You knew that she would not defend herself and that made her a target for your infuriation. The punishment stands, I am the captain and you will do as I say" Beryl's grin grew slightly feral

"Then it's time for a new captain. One who will lead us to greatness and repair the mess you have left the Emerald Shadow in. You are too merciful in the raids, you only go after ships that can replenish what was stolen and that won't disrupt a business. I will bring us to greatness again. I will make us feared again. I will become captain of the Emerald Shadow and we will all benefit" She looked round at each and every member of the crew

"Join me and we will quash those who oppose us. We will swim in the riches we reap and the fear we sow"

"Are you proposing mutiny against Captain Emerald?" Lara asked disdainfully.

"Yes!" Beryl cried triumphantly "Now who will join me on the road to success?"

No one moved. Beryl stared round confusedly. Where was her support? Her legions of followers ready to defend her at every opportunity as Lily's crew would do for her.

Her eyes lit on a small brown skinned girl

"Ruby? My sister, my friend, will you not join me?" Ruby glared at her, red eyes filled with disgust

"I will not betray my captain" Beryl's green eyes stared round at everyone with loathing.

"So this is how you all repay me? For all my years of service? I was supposed to be captain not her! I'm older, smarter and more experienced than she could ever hope to be! So you're all jealous" Her eyes lit insanely

"Yes! That's it you're all jealous of me but don't worry I won't hold it against you if you join me now. There's enough of Beryl to go around and who knows; maybe some of my magnificence will rub off on you" she cackled, desperately looking round if anyone had reconsidered.

No one had, in fact many were looking at her with expressions of sympathy and shaking their heads as one might do to one who was truly lost. James, Sirius and Remus had wisely decided to stay out of it. This did not concern them after all.

Beryl's eyes caught on Lily once again and her face filled with rage

"You! It's all because of you! They follow you blindly when they should be following me! You stole my captaincy from me and now you're laughing in my face, well laugh at this!" She screeched before launching herself at Lily.

She wasn't as skilled a fighter as Lily but she had pure anger fuelling her actions. The two rolled around on board with no one intercepting the fight. They all knew that if Lily needed them unlikely enough she would call for them.

After a few minutes Lily managed to restrain her with her knee in Beryl's lower back planting the blonde face forward into the wooden deck.

With a nod from Lily a couple of women rushed forward to secure Beryl while Lara and Shaiera pulled up their friend. Lily's split lip dripped with blood but she was still able to spit out

"Due to your futile mutiny you are now discharged from the crew of the Emerald Shadow. No longer will you wear the gem of Beryl nor will you be known by that name"

She pulled off the broach that Anastasia Hart formally known as Beryl wore on her sash. She also used the sash to wipe the blood off her chin and mouth then threw it on the floor to show what she thought of it. Anastasia struggled to get at Lily again for that demonstration of disrespect but Chalcedony and Onyx were holding her firmly.

"Deserted island west" Diamond called out from the crows nest, Lily glanced to her left to see a small island about a mile away.

"Take her to the plank" she commanded to Onyx and Chalcedony. They grinned and half dragged Anastasia to the plank where they disarmed her and pushed her out onto the small piece of wood.

"You know pirate traditions Anastasia?" Lily called out.

Anastasia whimpered slightly as she looked at the deep ocean below her the crew was all gathered round watching her with amusement.

"Come on walk already" Moonstone demanded poking her with a sword.

Anastasia edged until she reached the end of the wood. The crew started a chant of 'jump' with even the marauders joining in. After thirty seconds and no splash Lara got impatient

"Times up!" She cried gleefully stomping on the plank hard enough to throw off Anastasia's balance.

The blonde fell backwards with her arms flailing uselessly in the air. She hit the water with a satisfying smack amidst hooting and whistles from the crew on the ship.

Lily made her way to the front and untied a polished pistol from her sash. Holding in tauntingly over the edge she shouted to the sodden form in the ocean below her

"This is my last present to you. Use it well, it's only got one shot!" she dropped the pistol directly onto Anastasia's head.

"Come on ladies lets go on our way" she commanded her crew as if nothing had happened. Flicking off a fussing Andalusite she made her way over to the steering wheel which always calmed her.

Unfortunately she was followed by Lara, James, Shaiera, Alexia, Delia, Sirius and Remus.

"Lily you didn't set coordinates for where we're going so we can't go on our way" Lara informed her.

Lily grunted "Course I did, we're going to Immortalis est aurum to find Perenelle Flamel"

Shaiera frowned "But aren't we supposed to give her a flower that blooms yearlong first?"

Lily smacked herself on the forehead

"You know that's not a very healthy habit" Lara informed her dryly.

"Damn it! How are we going to find that bloody flower? We'll have to stop somewhere to find out how to get it"

Delia smirked "Actually while we were at Hogwarts I 'borrowed' this from the garden teacher with the crazy hair." She produced 'Rare and magical flowers and where to find them' and opened it to a book marked page.

"The Phoenix Astrum flower is perhaps one of the rarest flowers of all. This atypical species will bloom forever when kept in the correct environment. The flower which is noted by its fiery star shaped centre is widely sought after for potion ingredients, medical purposes or its beauty. It is nearly impossible to find one out in the wild as it's extremely temperamental and cannot survive by itself. The only known breeder of these exquisite blossoms is a woman by the name of Lavinia Laroque. And the rest is all boring" Delia finished. Lily grinned at her

"We'll make a pirate of you yet Amber. But now we're finding Lavinia Laroque"

* * *

A ship by the name of Nagini pulled the young woman on board. The crew led her to the captains' quarters and shoved her inside. Tom looked round from his location in front of the fire lace at the dripping mess before him.

Scowling darkly he muttered a drying charm so the woman wouldn't ruin the carpet more than she already had.

"I suspect that you failed in your attempts to seize control" he stated coldly.

The woman nodded tearfully. Tom inwardly sighed, he had enough to deal with following the Emerald Shadow and finding the treasure before they did and he did not want to pacify a crying woman.

But he regretfully opened his arms and the woman gave a small cry of joy and flung herself at him trying to get as much affection from him as she could. Tom forced himself to keep from shoving her away in repulsion she was too crucial to his plan to offend.

But she did have her uses he thought devilishly as he plundered her willing mouth with his tongue

"Anastasia…" he purred in her ear smirking as he felt her shudder in delight.

Yes she was too crucial to his plans to offend but tonight she would provide a welcome distraction to his problems he thought to himself and his hand slowly slid up her thigh.

**_It's like just after one in the morning and daylight saving has just begun so I'm not tired at all. For the flower it means Phoenix Star in Latin, I'm using a lot of Latin and French translations. We got rid of Beryl on the Emerald Shadow but don't think that she's gone yet. And yes Tom and Anastasia are lovers but they are trying to use each other to get their own desires. Well there's only so much you can say in an A/n so I'm out._**

_**Life is like a flashlight, and if you focus on the light you won't trip in the dark.**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	13. Garnet Eyes

**_I'm here and you shall all put on sunglasses because my inner glow is too much for your eyes lol! Here is the next chapter and I have school tomorrow after two weeks of holidays so bah! Enjoy!_**

Chapter Twelve

Looking for Lavinia Laroque was easier than expected. At the first town the Emerald Shadow stopped at the crew found that Lavinia Laroque was the Herbology teacher at Beaubaxtons academy of magic.

"So where is Beaubaxtons anyway?" Alexia asked as the crew returned to the ship.

"I'm sure at least one of the crew went there" Lily shrugged "But first we need supplies and to drop off the loot from the merchants. In fact I can't believe that we didn't do it earlier, it's been a risk carrying it round the ocean. It's time for a little visit to Les déchirures de phoenix" She called this last part to the crew who immediately set sail with out needing further instructions.

"You know the captain may have forgotten your punishments for straying aboard in the merchant raid but I haven't. James, Remus and Sirius grab yourselves a bucket and brush. You can start from the starboard side, this deck is filthy" Lara pointed smugly to a pile of cleaning equipment.

The three men obliged but not without throwing filthy looks over at the first mate who plonked herself on the edge on the railing watching them entertained. Shaiera pulled Delia over for a lesson on French and Lily settled calmly at the steering wheel. Alexia sat beside Lara and imitated her 'helping' the marauders by pointing out the spots they missed until Sirius threw a sponge at her.

This provoked Lara to turn his hair pink and refuse to change it back until he whispered something unidentified in her ear. She turned pink and refused to tell anyone what he said.

It had turned into twilight by the time the Emerald Shadow reached Les déchirures de phoenix and anchored itself into a small bay. A rickety wharf that looked to be held together completely by magic led to a shore covered by white sand. Despite the unreliability appearance of the jetty it was trod upon as if made of the strongest steel by the crew of the Emerald Shadow.

The three marauders however treated it with a little more hesitantly. As it was in the merchant's ships the loot was carried ashore with precise method. Each woman carried her load onto shore and ran back for more, keeping to the left of the pier so as not to bump into load carriers.

Soon all the booty was sitting on the pale sand and the pirates made a last trip to grab anything needed. James, Sirius and Remus having no desire to run back and forward over the unpredictable piece of wood stayed by the treasure and waited for the bandit women to finish.

"What now?" James asked Shaiera who was standing beside him when the last of the items came on shore. She gestured to Lily who was walking towards trees counting out loud.

"…six, seven. Ninety four degree right turn and four steps. One, two, three…" After continuing in this fashion for a bit she stopped in front of a tree sprouting flashy silver flowers.

She pulled out a dagger in her boot and used it to prise open a section in the trunk that slid open like a cupboard. She grabbed a silver lever inside the tree and pulled hard. With a creaking groan a large square of sand rose revealing a trapdoor big enough to fit a rowboat comfortably. It truly was a masterpiece.

Carved into the wood was an exact picture of the Emerald Shadow right down to the ropes on the rigging. Different gems bordered the picture and Remus couldn't help but notice that a Beryl was missing and a blank space adorned the picture instead. The entire crew of the Emerald Shadow crowded round the picture and put their finger on their respective gem.

When they were all there the crew shouted as one "La richesse est le pouvoir!" The trapdoor gave another shuddering groan and split in two down the middle to expose a dark staircase. Lily brandished her wand and with a swish the mound of plunder rose into the air and flew down the staircase.

"Why couldn't you have done that earlier?" Lara demanded. Lily gave her a toothy smile

"Why it's tradition to lug the booty off the ship. You don't want to bring Ms Karma down on us do you Ame? Oh and make sure you knock on the wood as you go past" She called over her shoulder at a scowling crew as she flounced down the stair which lit up with her every step.

"Come on you lot" Shaiera have the marauders a gentle push and they also went down the stair with the remainder of the crew taking up the back.

They emerged in a large cavernous room that would take up at least half the island if not for the enlarging charms. The area was almost completely filled with treasure of astronomical proportions. Set into the wall was small coffers that had gems, the name of the gem and the real names of the pirate. Shaiera saw the marauders looking at them and lent over to say

"They are like retirement dowries for when one of us leaves. Like I would get the one with Turquoise inscribed on it. They are filled with the share of treasure earned over the period worked here. The loot that we bring in is divided into shares for each crew member and treasure for the Emerald Shadows future crew's. Anastasia doesn't get anything because when she proclaimed mutiny she forfeited her dowry. Ruby calculates which goes where" she pointed a small brown skinned girl with glittery red eyes.

"Have you made the calculations?" Lily asked her. Ruby nodded and raised her own wand. The treasure in front of the group rose and split with part going into each coffer and the rest joining the huge mountain of treasure at the other end of the room.

Three small piles flew and landed at Sirius, James and Remus's feet. Most looked on in surprise as the marauders stared at the riches in front of them

"Your earnings" Lara clarified "Even though you didn't do much you helped with the raid so Lily said you should get paid for it". She summoned three chests and the treasure flew into them. She then shrunk the chests and handed them to each marauder. They took them still astonished. The last thing they expected was to be paid for being part of a pirate raid, and quite handsomely too.

"Thank you Lily" Remus was the first to regain his composure. He elbowed Sirius and James back into awareness. They too thanked her most profusely in fact James even went as far as to kiss her.

Albeit on the cheek but it was a kiss none the less much to the delight of the cat-calling crew. Lily turned as red as her hair

"We will stay the night and set off to Beaubaxtons on the morrow. By the way do any of you lasses actually know where Beaubaxtons is?" She asked after she regained some of her composure even though there was still a faint tinge of pink on her cheeks.

"I went to Beaubaxtons and my little sister still goes there" Chalcedony volunteered gallantly her smoky brown curls bouncing slightly. Lily grinned at her

"Let's get up to the main house. I'm bloody starving"

"Race y'all!" Lara hollered before dashing up the stairs followed closely by the majority of the laughing crew. The small amount of stragglers that didn't participate followed them but at a more sedate pace.

When they were outside the sky had turned dark and Lily led them up a track that was half hidden by the trees. The track led up to a house built right into the mountain. The front door was still thrown open by when the racers scrambled in but the house was lit up with candle light.

"This way gents" Lily commanded taking them into the house and shutting the front door with a large pointed bang. Lara poked her head round the corner

"Finally! We've already got food on the table" Lily looked at her pointedly again and opened and shut the door.

Lara blinked at her. Lily growled low in her throat

"Will you shut the sodding door behind you when you go inside?" Lara's mouth made an 'oh' shape

"But I was first" she complained "Tell Delia that. She was last"

"Oi I was not!" Came a cry from the kitchen.

Lily rolled her eyes "Tell whoever was last to shut the door next time then"

Lara snorted "I am not your owl; tell them your bloody self" and disappeared again.

Lily muttered "Not even worth it" under her breath.

Noticing she was alone on the hall as everyone else had filed into the dining room during the argument she strode into the room. Everyone was waiting for her to come in and stared at her pointedly for holding up the meal.

Grunting irritably to herself she slid into place at the head of the table and decreed dryly

"Too tired for grace. Eat" No need to be told twice as everyone tucked in.

After dinner Lily directed James, Sirius, Remus and Delia to their rooms as they were the only one's that had never been there before. Lara pranced up to Sirius and gave his a kiss goodnight

"My room is number seventeen" She purred into his ear.

"And no bedroom hopping" Lily called out having overheard her comment.

She didn't stop Lara and Sirius that night however being entirely to busy doing some 'bedroom hopping' of her own.

**_There I gave you a kiss and more. Next week is my b-day party and I will not be able to update unfortunately but on the Brightside I'm turning sixteen! Tomorrow's school and I have exams that term so that sucks. Review anyways!_**


	14. Diamond eyes

**_Well I'm back after my birthday party last week which by the way was cool. Thank you to all that wished my happy birthday. Sorry Rylie D but I didn't actually write the 'bedroom hopping' because this is a T fic but if I get around to it I could possibly post it on a separate chapter in M. Review and enjoy. _**

Chapter thirteen

Lily woke with a contented sigh.

She was in her second home other than the Emerald Shadow; Les déchirures de phoenix. As much as she loved being in the open ocean as every pirate did she needed to ground herself every so often and the secret island was the perfect escape for her. Now here she was in bed, snug and warm with her nose buried into the crook of a neck and breathing in the scent of the body beside her.

Wait. She stiffened and opened her eyes. This wasn't her room, this was a spare room.

She squinted at her companion in the harsh morning light seeping through the window. James Potter lay there still asleep and snoring softly. The memories of last night flooded back and she turned a deep shade of scarlet.

She slept with someone she'd known barely a week. She broke her own 'no bedroom hopping' rule with a man who made his abhorrence of pirates known since he stepped on her ship. Lara was never going to let her forget this.

She stole another glance at the man sleeping peacefully half covered with the blankets and she couldn't help a small smile come across her face. His glasses were on the bedside table, his hair was even messier than usual strewn across his forehead and there was a shadow of stubble on his chin. She poked her head over the side of the bed and retrieved her wand from under the bed. Giving it a small flick she whispered

"Tempus". The glowing digits told her that it was fourteen past seven. Hopefully none of the crew would be awake yet as they didn't usually rise before nine when on the island. Carefully as to not disturb James she pulled one of the sheets that was tangled in the bedclothes and wrapped it around her like a toga.

She crept around the room and collected her clothing thrown haphazardly in the fit of passion. Once she was decided she hadn't left anything behind she tiptoed over to the bed again and kissed James on the cheek

"Sweet dreams" she whispered. James gave a snort in his sleep and continued to snooze. Giggling softly Lily went into the hall and closed the door softly behind her.

"Hypocrite" Lara said leaning against the wall where she had obviously been waiting for her captain. Lily froze and gave a sheepish smile to her first mate.

"I was…um…just making sure he was comfortable"

"Right" Lara stated unconvinced "Do you usually make room calls at twenty past seven in nothing but a sheet? Just try to stay away from Siri's room; he's mine alone to make bedroom calls to"

"So you admit that you broke the rules?" Lily asked trying to draw the subject away from her

"I admitted nothing. Did you break your own rules?" Lara countered.

"Of course not" Lily scoffed "I have a perfectly reasonable excuse for being in there at twenty past seven in nothing but a sheet"

"Well let me know as soon as you can think of one" Lily was cut off from retorting by Alexia opening her door sleepily

"Wass wif all the talkin'" She slurred sleepily. She looked from Lara to Lily to James's door to Lily again this time taking in her attire. Alexia's blue eyes turned very big and Lily turned red again

"Wha-…You…James…sheet…" she stuttered.

"Spit it out" Delia had opened her door irritably on the middle of Alexia's attempted speech.

"Lilysleptwithmybrother" Alexia got out in one breath. Delia glanced at her then looked at Lily

"Took you long enough" she shrugged. Lily gaped at her

"Excuse me?"

Delia looked at her directly "You heard me Evans. I sensed the sexual tension between you two the first time I saw you together."

"Observant little chit aren't you" Lara regarded her "But for the record Lils claims that she was 'making sure he was comfortable'" Delia snorted.

"You see Lily; Amber believes you" Lara told her friend.

"I suppose someone had to" Alexia muttered.

"For the last time I did not sleep with James Potter" Lily said hotly. Just then the door opened and a ruffled looking James came out with nothing on but a pair of breeches.

"You left this in my bed" He told Lily dangling a pair of red lacy knickers from his finger. Lily snatched them and added them to her pile of clothing but everyone had already seen.

"The evidence speaks otherwise. Lily you absolute dog!" Lara laughed hysterically Delia joining her. Alexia still looked scarred.

"Perfect timing" Lily snarled under her breath. James looked round blinking sleepily and noticed the audience. He swore loudly and turned as red as Lily.

"Aw they have matching blushes" Delia got out before surrendering to her laughter again.

"I'm going to have a bath" Lily announced and with as much dignity as she could muster at that moment and marched into her bedroom slamming the door. James took one more look around him at the women looking at him with various levels of amusement and disgust in his sister's case. He shuddered and retreated back into his room closing the door.

Nobody noticed anything at breakfast or when setting sail to Beaubaxtons. In fact they only found out about it when Lara yelled it out half away across the French Channel. Lily cupped her across the ear roughly

"I don't know why you're making such a big fuss about it. You slept with Sirius"

"True" Lara agreed rubbing her ear "But I wasn't stupid enough to get caught" Lily glared at her and strode off to the wheel to calm down.

Finally they reached Beaubaxtons which was located near La Rochelle near the French coastline. Lily decided on a small group to come with her to Beaubaxtons and the rest of the crew were to stay on the ship. She originally left Lara on the ship as revenge for telling the crew about her privet life but her first mate sulked, whinged and begged until Lily gave up and put Diamond in charge.

Now she was regretting it immensely as her first mate stood in front of her in breeches, thigh length boots, a white ruffled shirt covered with a plum jacket with silver bars and a Tricorne hat with a peacock feather stuck into it.

"Amethyst I thought the idea was not to give away the fact that we're pirates" Lily cried exasperatedly once Lara came above deck.

"I figured that the best approach was to be really obvious. People can never see beyond their own noses" She shrugged unrepentant. Lily growled

"Fine but I'm not busting you out if they decide to hang you"

They took a long boat and rowed magically to the shore and started the trek up to the school gates. An hour's walk along a trail that was flattened by the hooves of the horses that pulled the carriages and they arrived.

The gates of Beaubaxtons were elaborately curved with a large golden crest in the middle and absolutely screamed haughtiness and conceit. The gardens surrounding the academy were ornately groomed. Manicured grass charmed to stay ever green even in the hot summer, flowers planted so they bloomed into colour filled images and patterns and a few shaped trees to give a little shade some with small seats underneath.

"God how boring is this garden? Not a whomping willow in sight" Lara criticized looking at the shrubs in distaste. Lily agreed with her.

The grounds were obviously given a lot of attention and were groomed to perfection but they looked fake. No leaf seemed out of place, no flower bloomed late; the grass looked like it had never been walked on. Nothing was allowed to grow into natural wilderness; the amount of magic suppressing the garden was felt largely within the group.

A bell tinkled across the school magically heard everywhere and suddenly the deserted grounds were full of students coming out of classes. The group visitors suddenly felt very exposed. They were spotted immediately amongst the pale blue uniformed students. Many stopped and stared at them and a couple of girls were even as bold enough to come up to the strange company.

"Bonjour, qui vous est? "They greeted friendlily.

"Hello my name is James Potter and these are some acquaintances of mine. Would you by any chance be able to direct us to your Herbology tutor?" James asked them in English. The girls looked confused

"Que?" Lily pushed James gently aside

"They don't speak English" she told him "Bonjour. Mon nom est le Lily et ma compagnie et je le cherche. Vous peut pourrait nous diriger à votre Herbology professeur Lavinia Laroque?" she asked politely.

(A/n. Good afternoon. My name is Lily and my company and I are looking for someone. Could you could direct us to your Herbology tutor Lavinia Laroque?)

The girls nodded happily and led the group round the grounds chatting to them in French until they reached a small cleared area with five green houses in it.

"Elle est dans la serre quatre" they told Lily

"Merci" she replied and bid them fair well. "She's in green house four" she translated for the marauders.

The door of the green house was unlocked and Lily unlocked it and they all piled inside trying not to touch any of the plants with teeth. Right at the back of the room there was a woman with dark hair streaked grey. She was potting a plant with spiky purple leaves that seemed to be smoking from the bud.

Lily opened her mouth to speak but the woman put a finger to her lips and finished putting the soil around the plant and carried it to a dark cupboard and put it inside. Shutting the door carefully she turned to her visitors

"Sorry about that but he does get rather violent when people talk during his repotting. I'm Lavinia Laroque" she held out a dirt covered hand for Lily to shake. But she was too busy staring into Lavinia's eyes. As Lily stared at her dumbfounded Lavinia withdrew her hand confused

"Are you alright" she asked concerned. She looked around the group for help but everyone was rendered speechless. Finally her eyes locked with Lara's. Purple met purple and both sets widened.

"Lara?" Lavinia whispered shocked. Lara found her voice after a few minutes

"Hello Aunty Vi" she croaked.

**_Ooh cliffy! So I'm now sixteen and it's technically Monday because it's ten to two in the morning. But my parents were using the computer and I didn't get round to starting this until late. My computer is also screwing up heaps. I'm not getting any review alerts on my email or any story alerts and I posted a new story and I didn't get an email for that either. I don't know if it's my computer or hotmail, have any of you had that problem? Anyways I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I will see you next week. _**

_**Dance like no one's watching**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

**_XXX _**


	15. Sapphire Eyes

**_Hello I'm back and ready to type lol. I think my friend who just stayed over has given me her cold so a big thanks to her…not. R&R and Enjoy!_**

Chapter fifteen

"Hello Aunty Vi" There was silence. Lily was the first to break it by spluttering loudly

"What the hell do you mean 'Aunty Vi'? This could have been so much easier if you had told us she was your aunty Lara" She glared at Lara who shrugged

"I didn't know her full name was Lavinia Laroque"

"You didn't know the name of your own aunt?" James asked her incredulously

"The last time I saw her I wasn't even five and I only knew her as Aunty Vi. I thought it was short for Violet or something. The only reason I know her now is because she is the only other person I know besides myself that has purple eyes. No offence" she assured her aunt. Lavinia smiled

"None taken my dear. And I have taken my now late husbands last name since we last met seventeen or so years ago. Are you going to give your old aunt a hug then Lara?" Lara threw her arms around her aunt who returned the hug with equal enthusiasm.

"And who is this bunch of people anyway. I take it this wasn't a social call" Lara introduced her friends pointing to each of them in turn and adding commentary whenever she deemed necessary.

"…Chalcedony who's sister goes here and that's Delia Michaels AKA the brat and James Potter and his sister Alexia. The other two blokes are Remy and Siri. That being Remus Lupin and the ever attractive Sirius Black. This is the annoying kill joy Shaiera Bel Canto; Gods I'm jesting Turquoise no need to get violent. And finally red here is Lily Evans captain of the ship and current bed partner of Potter. Male version that is" she said ducking a swipe from Lily. Lavinia smiled

"Lovely to meet you all"

"Now" Lara said on behalf of the crew "You were right about this being a non-social visit. Actually we were after this plant thing" Lavinia raised her eyebrow

"Lara I am a Herbology professor. 'Plant things' are my forte. You're going to have to elaborate on that" Lily stepped in

"Actually we're going on a quest to find an unknown treasure. The map said we needed an immortal flower to give to an old woman. We figured we needed to give one of your Phoenix Astrum blossoms to Perenelle Flamel"

"Ah" Lavinia laced her fingers together and cracked them loudly making most of the group jump.

"Ew" muttered Delia shuddering. Lavinia pulled a necklace from under her shirt. Threaded through it was a tiny golden key. Gesturing for the group to follow her she walked into an office off the side.

Inside there was a large vault that took one of the walls. Lavinia unlocked it and whispered something. It creaked open into what seemed to be a garden within the vault.

"This is my personal garden" She informed them. They looked around in awe. Most of the garden was dedicated to small blossoms each kept in a weed free area of exactly 35.7 centimetres squared as was required. Lavinia walked over to one in the far right corner

"These are the most mature ones. The others cannot survive out of the garden at this point." Lightly she plucked the flower out of the ground as a mother would a baby out of its crib. Gently she passed it to Lara and the rest of the group crowded round her for a look.

The blossom didn't seem special at first glance with white petals and a green stem. But the longer it was stared at the more one appreciated the silver veins seen through the semi-transparent white threaded around each other to give the petals an ethereal glimmer.

The green stalk was made of many fibres of different greens twisted round into the stalk. No shades of the threads were the same. But it was the middle of the blossom which caught the most attention.

Shaped like a star it was a vivid mix of orange, red and gold. The colours seemed to flicker over each other like flames and in the very heart of the star was a shimmering drop like a pearl of water caught within the bloom.

"Merlin's balls" whispered James and Alexia snorted. The moment they were caught in was broken

"That's the vilest aphorism I have ever heard you say Jamie" she giggled.

"How much?" Lara asked her aunt.

"Consider it seventeen years of missed birthdays" she smiled gently blushing when she was thanked profusely by the marauders each kissing her hand in an overly theatrical way.

"May I see the map?" she asked Lily who pulled it out of her shirt.

"I am never touching that map again" muttered Delia.

"Even if you wanted to I think you would have to wrestle with James for the right of holding something that came out of Lily's shirt" Shaiera laughed amused at James's blush.

Lily went out of the vault/garden and spread the map on Lavinia's desk alongside with the translation of the script James had written on parchment. Lavinia lent over the map and studied it intently.

"These I recognise" she said pointing to the runes on the corners "They are North, East, South and West. The directions as to which way the map reads" James smacked himself on the forehead

"Of course. Why did I not remember them before? The answer was so simple"

"Don't beat yourself up about it" Lily told him.

"You're welcome to stay for dinner as my guests" Lavinia offered when the bell for dinner went off as Lily folded up the map and replaced it in its safe place down the front of her top. Lara accepted with enthusiasm eager to spend more time with her aunt.

Lara gave the flower to Shaiera as she was more responsible and less likely to get it ruined. Or so Lily said when she made Lara hand it over.

"So is the 'ever attractive Sirius Black' your lover?" Lavinia asked Lara coyly while they lagged behind the rest of the group catching up. Lara nodded

"And I've decided that he's going to be the one I marry after a week. I think that's a new record in our family" Lavinia frowned slightly

"Your mother felt the same way about your father. Then the Malfoy's killed her. I want you to be careful around the Blacks. Their reputation suits their name"

"I grew up with many of them" Lara protested "They wouldn't kill me"

"But Sirius is a blood traitor. Would they hesitate to kill him or those associated with him? All I want is for you to be careful" a shadow fell upon the group. A larger than average woman stood imperiously before them. She had smooth olive skin and large dark eyes and was dressed in dark satin with opals strung around her neck and wrist and on her ears and fingers.

"Qui vous est?" she enquired in a velvety voice.

"This is my niece and some acquaintances of hers" Lavinia introduced them.

"I am Madame Maxime ze Directrice of zis school" the woman introduced herself allowing the three marauders to kiss her opal covered fingers. The women all curtsied respectfully at the headmistress.

"I vould be honoured if you vould all join my students in ze banquet hall" The invitation was accepted graciously.

The dining hall was made of pure white marble with pale gold veins with large statues of various scholars everywhere. The students were divided into age grounps rather than houses and as they walked into the hall most stared as they did when the group first came into Beaubaxtons. After being introduced to the students as the niece and associates of a favoured teacher they were welcomed gracefully into Beaubaxtons.

Afterwards they bid farewell to Lavinia and made their way back to the Emerald Shadow with full stomachs. Diamond greeted them happily when they returned on board and Lily ordered them to set sail for Immortalis est aurum off the coast of Dublin.

**_Sorry it's really short but I'm tired and I have school tomorrow. Besides my parents are telling me to go to bed and I need to put this up first. My email is now fully functional and I had about a week of flooded emails that was updating me on all the emails I missed. I got quite sick of it after a while lol._**

_**The wisest mind has something yet to learn**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

**_XXX _**


	16. Amblygonite Eyes

**_Welcome back to myself! I've finally finished exams and I'm totally sure I failed Accounting and did badly in maths but hey, they aren't really vital in Law which is what I want to do. Besides I absolutely hate those two subjects. On the bright side I think I did well in Human Biology which is cool cos then I can rub it in the face of my H.bio teacher who sucks and wrote on my report that I would find it difficult to pass the exam. I guess I have to wait for my results. Anyways enough of my rambling, on with the chapter!_**

Chapter Sixteen

"Isn't it weird that no one on this ship ever gets seasick?" Delia asked Lara as they practised their sword duelling skills.

That's because we're pirates. You can't pillage and plunder while puking" Lara parried Delia's blade swiftly with her own.

Delia drew back to catch her breath and advanced again, slashing at her opponent. "Why are you wearing Sirius's shirt?" Lara twirled out of the way and stabbed at Delia's sword

"Because to get it back he will have to either come on deck in my shirt or without a shirt. Both will amuse me"

Delia laughed "Or he will wait sulking in his cabin until you return" Lara shook her head with a few raven tresses that weren't tied up falling into her face. She blew them out of her eyes irritated

"Sirius wouldn't be able to sit in his cabin doing nothing. He'd go out of his mind with boredom and if the captain or Potter –male version- doesn't make him come out then he will do it on his own accord. Stay focused Amber" Delia just missed getting her fingers sliced and jumped out of the way. Lara followed her giving sharp swipes that Delia was forced to block until she was backed into the corner of the boat.

"Submit" Lara ordered. Delia nodded and lowered her sword. Lara mimicked her and was about to turn away when Delia attacked again. Lara twisted out of the way and raised her own sword again

"You bloody cheat!" she whispered proudly.

Delia snickered "I learned from the best Miss I-throw-spears-at-innocent-trainee's"

"Why thank you" Lara leapt out of the way to give a short elaborate bow before leaping back into action.

"As absolutely fetching as my shirt looks on you Miss Malfoy I would like it back if you please" Sirius stood a few metres from the duel to avoid accidental decapitation or something of the sort. Lara and Delia stopped their fight and turned to the topless Sirius.

"That's the option I was hoping he'd choose" Lara whispered to her partner.

Delia just smirked "Love the look you've got going for you. It that the new fashion in the elite crowds these days? I wouldn't know being a poor commoner pirate myself" Sirius flushed

"You're not a pirate yet sugar" Lara elbowed her "Now practise your slashes as you are disgustingly pathetic at them. Try practising on the mast there"

"Captain Lily will have a fit" Delia reminded her.

Lara shrugged "For absolutely no reason at all. She will most likely throw something lethal at me and move on. As soon as she calms down her temper she will repair it with the handy thing we call a wand. The world will stay flat and all will be forgotten. Trust me I've done it heaps"

"I'm sure" muttered Delia but she complied, slashing chips of wood out of the large mast. Several women sniggered at the thought of what Lily would say as they walked past.

"May I have my shirt?" Sirius asked his lover.

Lara shook her head "I'm wearing it right now Siri, wait your turn"

Sirius pouted slightly "But I feel decidedly odd being topless on a ship full of women"

"Then why don't you go get a shirt out of your wardrobe?" Lara retorted sticking her tongue out. Sirius smacked himself in the forehead

"Because I did not think of that" he admitted.

"You know smacking yourself in the head is not a healthy habit. Not that Lils takes any attention of my advanced medical knowledge" Lara wrapped her arms around him and leaned against his chest. Sirius kissed her fondly on the head.

"Land Ahoy!" Chalcedony called from the crows nest. "It's Immortalis est aurum"

"Lovely" Lily declared jumping over the railing of the upper deck. She strode over and stopped dead when she saw Delia half heartedly cutting chunks out of the wooden mast.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" she screamed.

Delia jumped away from the mast in fright. Shakily she pointed a finger to Lara who looked innocently at her friend. Lily narrowed her eyes and stalked towards the first mate

"Amethyst would you care to tell me exactly why Amber –who is under your tutelage at the moment-, is chopping up vital pieces of my ship?" she said in a dangerously calm voice.

Sirius muttered "Now you've done it" and wisely stepped away, ignoring Lara's mutter of "traitor". Lara looked around for an escape route and not finding one looked back to her captain

"Erm…her sword play needed work so I send her to practise"

"On my ships mast?"

Lara shifted uncomfortably "Um yeah"

"Right" Lily nodded and wandered over to the swords that Lara and Delia had left out for practise. Lara watched her uneasily with a slightly cold feeling in her stomach. She wasn't the only one; most of the crew had stopped to watch the entertainment.

Suddenly without warning Lily seized a blade and hurled it at Lara who expertly dropped to the floor. The sword embedded itself into the mast. Lara looked at it sulkily

"That could have been my head you know"

Lily raised an eyebrow sardonically "That was the point"

"Pur-lease, you'd feel terrible if you killed me. That's why I always tell you to find another outlet for your anger rather than throwing sharp objects at me"

Lily shrugged "I'm sure I'd get over it. After a suitable period of mourning I could replace you with Delia"

Lara snorted "Delia?! She's a doormat. Not offence intended" she added to the girl in question who was watching the banter with raised eyebrows "But you did actually hack chunks out of the mast when I asked you to"

Delia gave an offhand shrug "I thought it was unwise to deny your request when you were holding a sword"

"Fair enough"

"I'm still mad at you" Lily snapped turning Lara's attention back to her

"But it's evaporating quickly because you can't hold a good grudge against me"

Lily scowled at her "Damn you for being right" she muttered taking out her wand and skilfully repairing the mast with a flick. Lara ran at her and gave her a huge suffocating hug. Lily squirmed

"Lara…breathing is essential" she gasped. Lara released her with a huge grin

"Onwards to that bloody island" She yelled. The crew members who were watching dispersed off to their individual work, smirking at the scene that just took place.

"Hey that's my job" Lily glowered.

"Build a bridge and get over it" Lara advised her going back to Sirius.

"Thanks for the support babe" she said smacking him on the shoulder. It sadly had no effect on him despite his lack of shirt

"You are welcome my darling" he pulled her into a hug.

"Oi lovebirds" Lily called "Get dressed for Immortalis est aurum. I want to make a good impression and somehow I don't think that Perenelle Flamel will appreciate your lack of dress Black"

"Good point" Sirius blushed and disappeared downstairs.

"That goes for the rest of you. I want you all to look presentable" Lily yelled out before also going into her rooms.

Once the ship docked every one of the crew was dressed in elegant jackets, shirts and breeches with polished boots. They all lined up for inspection and Lily strode up and down sending various people to change again until she was satisfied.

"Why are you so uptight?" Alexia wanted to know "You hardly ever take this much effort into our appearance"

Lily adjusted the girls collar "I just want to make a good impression, when it come to treasure I will go the extra mile to get what I want and Perenelle holds the keys to what I want. Or so says that blasted map" Shaiera gently removed Lily's hands from Alexia's collar

"Calm down Emerald" she told the captain and led her over to James. "Stay" she commanded.

"I'm not a sodding dog" Lily mumbled.

"Could have fooled me" Lara sauntered over "Turquoise is right Lily. You need to calm down"

"I keep thinking that this treasure is somehow different from others. It pulls on me and I hate it. Yet I need to have it. Not want. _Need_"

"Then we will get it" James reassured her. Lily exhaled heavily and leaned against him.

"You go be in charge" she vaguely pointed to Lara.

"Me?!" Lara asked aghast.

"Her?!" someone repeated behind them.

"Bite me Sapphire" Lara called over her shoulder. "If you're sure" she continued dubiously. Lily nodded numbly and closed her eyes. James wrapped his arms around her protectively. He nodded to Lara who turned back to the crew who all looked concernedly at their captain.

"Right then, who's staying on board?" most of the crew including Shaiera raised their hands not wanting to be part of whatever made their captain so stressed Lara raised her eyebrow but said nothing and hustled small group off the ship with orders to be on their best behaviour or Lily would throw large sharp objects at them.

By the time they left the ship Lily seemed to have pulled herself together and led the group along a palm tree lined pathway though she still leaned a bit on James. There was a pleasant looking manor about a hundred metres from the bay which the group reached after a short walk.

The manor was airy looking with open bay window through which white curtains billowed in the breeze. There were a collection of sea shells along the window sills and the white sand reached right up to the front porch. Alexia knocked on the door which was opened by a woman who looked about sixty.

"Please come in, mothers been expecting you" the woman stood aside as the crew filed in. They followed her up a flight of stairs, the manor was as blasé as the outside. With tasteful light decorations in spacious rooms it lacked the cramped and costly looking surroundings that were fashionable at the moment. The woman took them into a parlour where another woman sat sipping a cup of tea.

"Mother they're here" The whole group stared in shock. Perenelle seemed to be at least thirty while her daughter was rather in her sixties.

"Thank you Betha" Perenelle had a soft whispery voice that somehow reached the ears of every occupant in the room. Bertha left the room and Perenelle gestured to the various amounts of seats surrounding her.

"Please sit" they complied without taking their eyes off her. If Perenelle felt strange being under scrutiny of every eye in the room she showed no sign of it. Lily spoke first

"Lady Perenelle my name is-"

"I know what your name is Lily Evans" Perenelle interrupted her "I also know what you're here for. You found the map correct" Lily nodded slightly shocked.

Perenelle continued "And you want to know where the treasure is correct?" Lily cleared her throat

"Yes mum" she said quietly.

"I will tell you. Not only because I am a great judge of character but because I can tell that your intentions with the treasure are pure. Yes I know all about you being pirates but that does not mean that your uses for the treasure will be for sin. I know that you will do the right thing when the time comes" Lily was not the only one who looked confused at the cryptic message. In fact the only one who wasn't befuddled was Perenelle herself and oddly enough Delia who was looking pensive.

"So can you actually tell us what the treasure is?" Lara wanted to know. She winced when Perenelle turned her direct stare onto her

"No Lady Malfoy. You will see the treasure when it is time for you to see the treasure. Until then you will just have to keep guessing" she said amusedly.

"And the treasure itself. Where is it located?" James asked politely.

Lily held up her hand "Beforehand I give this gift to you" Gently she pulled a bundle out of her jacket pocket wrapped in some of the beautiful cloth from the merchants ship.

She passed it to Perenelle who unwrapped it to reveal the Phoenix Astrum blossom. Perenelle gasped and for once looked surprise. For a woman who has had over six hundred years of life surprised doesn't come often.

"I have waited centuries for this" she marvelled "They are nearly impossible to obtain as I have found out. However did you get one?"

"Lara knows someone in the business" Lily replied giving a fond glance to her friend who grinned back. Perenelle quickly returned to her calm demeanour

"Very well as you have upheld your end of the bargain then I shall uphold mine"

**_Mwahaha I have decided that a nice comeback present was to leave y'all with a cliff hanger. That's kind of mean of me but I didn't get the computer till late cos of my little brother and I've taken ages on it due to unnecessary breaks and now it's 1.43 in the morning. This is getting to be a really bad habit of mine staying up to this time. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I will be back next week._**

**_Confidence likes to play hide and seek…_**

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	17. Kyanite Eyes

**_Hello this is a day late but I had to go to a funeral yesterday which resulted in me having a last start to writing it and I also had to go to bed early because I got up at six for work (which sucked) but without further ado here is chapter seventeen (which happens to be my lucky number and the date of my birthday! Go me) Review and enjoy! _**

Chapter Seventeen

"Very well as you have upheld your end of the bargain then I shall uphold mine"

Lily inwardly sank with relief. Finally she could get the treasure and put an end to the strange obsessive feeling stirring round in her stomach. Lily loved to be in control as Lara frequently reminded her and the bizarre twinges she got whenever she thought of the treasure was driving her mad.

As well as her rush of emotions whenever James smiled, talked, frowned, stayed silent, laughed and breathed. Lily didn't mind those emotions as much as they were enjoyable but the feeling she got whenever the map was mentioned made her feel sick to her stomach.

What was it about that treasure that totally terrified her? Was she doing the right thing by drawing her crew into a hunt of an unknown and possibly dangerous item? She gave a shudder to get the thoughts out of her head and James tightened his grip around her. Lily gave a content sigh when the now familiar rush of safeness and love consumed her.

Perenelle waited a moment, raising the tension of the group around her. Finally she began to speak with every occupant of the rooms listening hard, afraid to miss even the smallest detail

"Quite a few years ago, hundreds of years ago in fact, I was given a secret to hold and then give to whomever I deemed worthy. The guardian of the location of this secret. Not even my own husband was allowed to know where or what this treasure is. I am not sanctioned to search for the treasure nor do I have any need to as the knowledge is already planted in my mind safe from even the most skilful of legilimens" She paused and took a breath while looking at the entranced occupants of the room. She continued her speech with everyone looking at her as if she were a storyteller telling an exciting tale to a gathering of children "I will not tell you the exact location. Rather I will gift you an item that will draw the treasure to you"

she put down her cup if tea and reached into the top of her dress, bringing out a thin silver chain with a small silver cross attached to it except the top of the cross was a loop.

"This is an ankh. Silver obviously because of the connection it has with magic. It will guide the treasure to you" she passed the necklace to Lily who put it on.

"Thank you" Lily said in a confused voice.

Perenelle raised her eyebrows "Don't be pessimistic child. It holds more worth than you think. Guard it well"

Lily rose and bowed deeply to Perenelle. The other occupants of the room followed her example. Perenelle waved them out "Good luck mes bijoux. You will need it" she said the last part mostly to herself yet it still carried on the wind.

Lara shivered as they drew near to the Emerald Shadow and away from the house of the Flamel's

"Déesse! That woman was wacky. How the hell did she know our names?"

Alexia frowned "Maybe Professor Dumbledore told them before we arrived?"

"Or maybe she's a legilimens; she had enough time to learn" Lara continued

"Or maybe you're just an idiot" Lily remarked apparently having snapped out of the mood that gripped her before.

"It's possible" Delia mused.

"What my theory of Lily's defamation of my intellect?" Lara asked dryly.

"Both" the amber eyes girl answered "Though I don't think its legilimency. Rather there was something else about her. I can't describe it really but all my senses were on fire around her"

"Pour some water on them and lets get off this bloody island" Lara offered before walking into the surf and with ease climbing up one of the large ropes anchoring the ship.

The rest of the group followed with Alexia gently prompting Alexia who was having difficulties. Lara and Sirius laughed outright when James lost his grip and fell back into the water. Lily giggled gently behind her hand and yelled encouragements to him to try again.

"This is why I prefer to use a pier to get onto a ship" he muttered irately finally crawling on deck.

"Cheer up Jamie, everyone has difficulties at some point" Alexia comforted her brother

"I didn't" Sirius volunteered smugly. James's response was to spit seawater in his face.

"Ew" Lara glared at James "I have to kiss that and now I might get some incurable disease"

"I'm pretty sure that James hasn't got any incurable diseases" Lily helped the aforementioned up.

"How do I know that you haven't caught it from him? We should put you both in quarantine just in case" Lara asked ducking the boot Lily threw at her and skipping below deck to get changed. Lily rolled her eyes and followed her after collecting her boot.

"Where to captain?" Chalcedony at the wheel asked as Lily climbed to the upper deck.

"There was no set coordinates. Apparently the treasure will now seek us out" replied Lily "Set sail to Italy or something. I feel like lasagne" Chalcedony nodded, surprised at her captains orders.

As they crossed the Celtic sea Lily began to get a sick feeling in her stomach like something was going wrong. She closed her eyes trying to figure it out. A laugh broke her out of her muse, a grating sound and the creak of the steering wheel. Lily sighed, she would never be able to figure it out with the crew being so sodding loud.

"SHUT UP!" she yelled. Instant silence as the crew stared at her, not a sound to be heard.

Wait! Lily frowned, it shouldn't be this quiet. Frowning she deftly climbed up the rigging to the crows nest. Lara was staring ahead at the horizon with a frown on her face, her black hair whipping round her face in the southerly wind.

"Lily" she said pointing at an irregular bunch of fast moving clouds. Lily stared at where she was pointing, the clouds seemed to be merging together to form a large black angry looking cloud. Something ticked in her mind, she should know this.

"Come on" she said to Lara before climbing quickly back on deck.

"Kyanite!" she called out. Within seconds a very short woman of about twenty five stood in front of Lily.

"Oui?" she asked slightly confused at to why her captain summoned her.

Lily paced in front of her agitatedly with the wind blowing her hair and sea spray into her face from the northwest "Low air pressure, high winds that rapidly change direction, small clouds forming into large ones" a large wave rocked the boat "-and high swells"

Kyanite thought for a moment before her dark blue eyes widened "_C'est un_ _Hurricane!" _she gasped.Lily stopped suddenly and looked closely at her

"That was what I was afraid of" she said quietly.

"Mais ceci n'est pas où les ouragans sont localisés" Kyanite said shocked

"I know that this is not where hurricanes are located. I have no doubt in my mind that we are not dealing with a regular hurricane, this is magical" Lily frowned. She raised her wand to her throat "_Sonorus_" she muttered

"LISTEN UP! NO NICE WAY TO BREAK IT TO YOU BUT THERE'S A LARGE AND PROBABLY TREACHEROUS STORM HEADING RIGHT TOWARDS US! DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND REPORT TO ME!"

To the credit of the crew there was minimum panic. Lily quickly sent the various crew members to secure the anchor and take down anything that could catch the wind and send the boat spinning.

The tiller for the rudder was secured with lines and Lily ordered anything that wasn't held down to either be held or to be stowed below deck. The only way her commands could be heard was through the 'sonorus' but even that was barely auditable because of the wind. Some of the crew was busy restraining the main sail which had come loose from the boom.

With the help of the marauders who had come up on deck to see what was going on, they were able to grab a hold of the ropes of the sail and wrap it round the mast like its counterpart on the other mast to keep it from tipping the vessel.

Chalcedony struggled to keep a grip on the rapidly spinning wheel and the ship turned left violently causing some crew members to slip down the deck. Shaiera helped her grab a hold of the whirling helm and together they managed to get the ship back on track. Mammoth waves hit the boat from both sides tipping it almost vertically from all directions. A few witches tried to use spells to get the ship to stabilize but the storm seemed to cancel out all enchantments.

Within seconds of the storm hitting everyone was soaked to their bones with icy water but this was nothing compared how suddenly the winds increased to the extent that people were actually being blown off their feet saved only by the ropes that they had tied round their waists being attached to the huge mast.

The only sound was the screaming of the wind almost popping eardrums with Lily's magically amplified voice long surrendered. The swells of the ocean towered above them in a colossal wall of water surrounding the minute ship. The Emerald Shadow was being pulled and pushed in all directions never seeming to go a single path.

A gargantuan wave suddenly hit the bow of the ship tipping it beyond vertical with the entire crew dangling off ropes tied to the ship like Christmas ornaments on a tree. The boat looked like it was flipping bottom side up to leave the attached inhabitants tied in the water.

Time seemed to stop and prayers were said to every god known when abruptly the wind force stopped and the swells reduced to small waves barely hitting the sides of the boat which has fallen forward again to hit the water gently. The storm had stopped. The deck was littered with panting bodies collapsed with the ropes still tied to their waists, some ropes were frayed to the point that they were almost worn through.

"Ev-everyone okay?" Lily choked out.

"Apart from almost being decimated by that tempest we're fine" Came Lara's sarcastic tone as she struggled to get up and untie the knotted cord from where it was cutting into her.

"Don't" Kyanite warned her "I think that this is only the eye of the storm"

"The storm has eyes?!" asked Diamond incredulously "Is that why it stopped? Because it saw us in it?"

"No it was just shocked to a halt by your astounding sense of wittiness" Lara said mockingly giving her a disgusted look.

"Oh" Diamond returned the look with a bland one of her own. Delia snorted.

"Try not to think too much dear" Shaiera advised gently.

"Merde sainte" came Lily's voice. Everyone looked to her and then to where she was staring. In the middle of a large amount of fog there was a shape just visible.

An island.

**_bam, Bam, BAM!!! Golly gumdrops I wonder what _that_ could be? Three guesses. And tralalala hahaha I know what the treasure is and you don't! I hadn't really decided until this chapter when I was like 'wow that fits all the criteria' but you will have to wait to find out. In other news Cutlass is drawing to a close obviously and when its finished I'm going to start the sister story which includes a present time and Lara going to the Dursleys house that faithful night and 'borrowing' Harry to raise on herself. As well as her daughter and possibly Draco Malfoy (who she will raise to be a LOVELY boy) and this will be about that generation. Mostly it will be in the point of view of Lara's daughter (who's name I haven't decided yet) so look out for that possibly when this is finished. _**

_**Life gets better as you get older...unless you are a banana**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	18. Aquamarine Eyes

**_Wow I am so sorry for missing like two weeks of updates but the first week I was working like the whole week except for Wednesday when I did my Xmas shopping and then for me in New Zealand the next Sunday was Christmas Eve and I worked for nine hours. And I'm like busy on New Years which is on next Sunday so I though 'What the hell, I'll update today'. I did start this chapter about a week ago but I was too tired to finish it. I'm only doing one more extra shift at work though so I can get back to my regular routine soon. On the bright side I did get a new trampoline which is my big circle of bouncy paradise. Yay it rocks! Anyways review and enjoy! _**

Chapter Eighteen

"What are the odds that the treasure is on the creepy island that popped up in the middle of a hurricane?" Lara asked her captain.

Lily frowned "It's a definite possibility, but just to be sure not all the crew will be going. Besides someone has to watch the ship" she hand picked select people to come with her while the rest would stay on board.

If it was the real treasure then green sparks would be sent up from wands and the rest of the crew would join them if not then red sparks would be sent up. If the group on the island ran into trouble then gold and silver sparks would be sent up.

Chalcedony was left in charge and the group consisting of Lily, the marauders, Lara, Shaiera, Alexia, Delia (for experience), Onyx and Ruby set off in a long boat set for the shore. The beach was lit by pale wet sand with black sand underneath in a swirling sickening pattern. It squelched unpleasantly underneath boots as the nine people walked ashore.

"Right" Lily said pulling out the map and her wand. She pointed to the rune pictured in the upper right corner

"Lavinia said that this was the rune for North, so…" she lay her wand on her flat palm and muttered "_point me_", her wand turned to point to North. She glanced at the wand and turned the map until the north rune on the map matched the way the wand was pointing. "This way the map goes, the treasure is here" she pointed to an X drawn roughly on the island on the map "…and we are here" she pointed to an area on the other side of the island from the X.

"Great, why didn't we anchor closer to the treasure? Now we have to walk over the entire island, we don't even know how big this place is" Delia grumbled

"So sorry to have inconvenienced you" Lara said sarcastically.

"Cheer up, at least the scenery will be nice" Alexia nudged the amber eyed girl gently.

"And it will be a great learning experience for you" Shaiera smiled, draping her arm on Delia's shoulder "Tell you what, I'll even run a test on what you've learnt when we get back so you have that to look forward to" she added mischievously.

Delia shrugged the blonde's arm off her sulkily "I'll look forward to it" she mumbled contemptuously.

"I doubt that the island is that big, after all we would have seen it, even from a distance before the storm started if it was huge" Ruby said thoughtfully.

Alexia beamed at her "That's the spirit, positive thinking!"

Delia rolled her eyes and snorted rudely "Positive thinking never got anyone anywhere"

Lara elbowed her lightly "Au contraire mon petit le chou, positive thinking got many a lonely voyager through tough times, especially with a sing-a-long. In fact I think I'll start one just to drown out your pessimistic poppycock"

Delia immediately reassured everyone that she'd be good with just the threat of having to hear Lara song. Blessed with a good singing voice she was not. In fact it was a widely held belief on the Emerald Shadow that Lara Malfoy was in fact tone deaf.

"I think that hearing your singing once is enough love" Sirius said, hooking his arm around her waist.

"Well your voice ain't a walk in the park either Siri" Lara glowered back.

"Just be glad that your lack of singing talent does not affect your relationship" Ruby consoled. Onyx stayed in the background, preferring to watch rather than joining in on the conversation.

"If we are done debating over Lara's non-existent singing prowess then can we get a move on? I want to make some progress before nightfall" Lily interrupted.

"Right you are darling" James said.

"Suck up" Alexia teased much to her brother's discomfiture.

"It's obvious who wear's the pants in this relationship" Remus joined in, much more comfortable ribbing his best friend than teasing any of the pirates.

"For the love of Merlin Remus, not you too" James said in a mockingly crestfallen way.

Lara pinched his cheek "Come now, It doesn't make you any less of a man _Jamie_"

"Padfoot old pal, please keep your lover on a leash, she disturbs the general public"

Sirius nodded jovially to James "Will do Prongs" he said tightening he grip around Lara's waist. She made a face at him and he made one back.

"Do I have to repeat myself or are we going to start now?" Lily demanded "When I asked to get a move on I didn't mean start a new conversation topic" She marched ahead along the beach and the rest of the group followed behind her.

Lara broke free of Sirius's grasp and ran to catch up with her. "You alright red?" she asked worried.

"I'm fine" Lily snapped.

"No you're not, you're shittier than Lucius when it's that time of the month"

In spite of herself Lily let out a little laugh "It's just that feeling again. The one I've been getting since we got this damned map. The need to find this treasure is pulling on me and making my nerve's all frazzled. That's all, I didn't mean to snap"

Lara nodded understandingly and linked arms with Lily. "Hey it's fine. Don't be afraid to lean on someone else for a while. Even you can't be a super captain all the time. No one expects that of you"

Lily let out a sigh "Yeah they do. I'm supposed to be this calm collected woman who's always in control and never lets anything get the best of her"

"No they don't, they expect you to be human. The crew is worried about you; they are worried about the strain that this map is taking on you. You try not to let is show but we all know you better than that. Even the marauders know that something is wrong and they haven't even known you as long as we have"

"It's weird how you drive me mad and then come out with something all perceptive like this and it make's me love you even more"

Lara smiled wickedly "No one can resist my charms. I am loved by all and worshiped by a tribe of midgets who swoon at my every move"

"Not the tribe of midgets that swooned at your every move whom we met in Brazil?"

"The same"

"Yes that was quite odd that out of all the crew they picked you to be their idol" Lily said thoughtfully "I commend their choice and speculate at their sanity"

"How is it Lily dearest that you can insult me and compliment me in the same sentence?"

"Why 'tis a gift passed through the generations of course" Lily spoke in a posh lordly manner.

"Are you two finished talking so us excluded members of the troupe can finally catch up to you?" James called out about ten metres behind them. Lily and Lara paused and waited for the others to catch up.

Lily pulled out the map and consulted it "According to this map there's a path about there" she pointed to a place in the bush indistinguishable from the wilderness around it. Lily looked up at where she was pointing and frowned

"Except it appears to have grown over into an uncontrolled mess of agricultural estate. Onyx a little pruning if you please"

Onyx smiled quietly and pulled out two machete's which were strapped to her back. Holding one in each hand she walked over to the designated area and began to clear a way through the thick vegetation, her blades slicing through the wilderness like a knife through butter.

Her arms became a blur as she worked faster and faster, a light sheen of sweat formed on her ebony skin as she marked out the path. About a hundred metres into the bush she paused and waited as Alexia and Delia shifter the debris out of the way.

The rest of the group followed them into the newly made path. It was much darker in the path than outside due to the broad canopy of tree's forming a roof overhead, wand tips were immediately ignited from all the group members and the gloom was lifted slightly.

Lily looked at the map from the light of her wand "The path is a bit more visible in here so continue clearing it and refer to me if don't know where your going. Try not to overexert yourself Onyx, if you tire then someone else will take over for you. And everyone else, need I state the obvious? Stay out of the way of the machetes, I cannot stress that enough"

A few people looked a bit pale and many nodded vigorously. Onyx continued clearing the path but with not as much effort as before. The rest of the group trotted along silently behind, keeping a healthy distance between themselves and Onyx. Their wands were held ready and alert to any possible danger.

The forest was eerily silent without even the call of a bird to lighten the stillness. The fog that had been surrounding the island was still hanging at random intervals, mostly pooling together to form eerie puddle's of white mist. Most of the group, minus Onyx who was chopping and Lily who was studying the map, were diligently trying to ignore the occasional blinking light's appearing in the mist.

"Lily, what's with the flickering lights in the fog?" Lara whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"I imagine that they're just Hinkypunk's. Stop being so dramatic" Lily said distractedly, her attention still on the map.

"Don't look like any Hinkypunk I've ever seen" Lara muttered moving closer to Sirius and sliding her hand into his. Sirius gave her hand a reassuring squeeze

"Fear not for any bloody Hinkypunk will have to get through me before even laying one misty finger on milady" he joked feebly, trying to cheer her and himself up.

"You're a sweetie Black" she gave him a smile.

After a few hours of walking Lily commanded they stop for a rest, after the path suddenly formed into a clearing with a small yet deep pond of water on the edge.

"I guess you can drink the water if you cast a filtering spell on it first" Shaiera said sitting down on the grass.

"Great, I'll fill everyone's flask's" Alexia said happily collecting the containers from each person. She wandered over to the pond and knelt before it. Lifting up Onyx's flask she saw a flash of white out of the corner of her eye. Below the surface was a ghostly white face staring back up at her.

Alexia opened her mouth to scream but suddenly felt like there was nothing to be afraid of, the face wouldn't hurt her. It was her friend. She should show the others this new and amazing discovery and maybe they would be friends with the nice face as well

"Hey guess what, there's a face in the water" she said drowsily, the face seemed to draw her in magnetically, she wanted to see more of it. It was such a nice face, a pretty girl looking up at her from underneath the water and she leaned in closer to get a better look.

"Alexia, get away from there!" James said sharply but it was too late.

Silently she fell forward into the water, sickly tentacles of water wrapping themselves around her small body, pulling her into inky depths.

**_And yet another cliff hanger. Wow it's like 1.30am again and I'm getting quite creeped out write freaky stuff while being the only person downstairs. Well except my cat but you get what I mean. I actually hate horror films; I have an incredibly active imagination which is great for writing stories but not good for watching thrillers. Anyways I'm out. _**

_**Because fate loved a lemon twist of irony in its club soda**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	19. Bloodstone Eyes

_**Hello I'm here on time for once. I woke up on Thursday and saw my parents and little brother getting in the car and I was like 'Where are you guys going?' and they said that they were going on a three day or more sailing adventure and obviously forgot to tell me. I mean who forgets something like that? I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't woken up. Meh I probably would have asked one of my older brothers eventually. Anyways enough about me, review, Even though the alerts are down again I will still feel special. Enjoy!**_

**Chapter Nineteen**

_Hey guess what, there's a face in the water" she said drowsily, the face seemed to draw her in magnetically, and she wanted to see more of it. It was such a nice face, a pretty girl looking up at her from underneath the water and she leaned in closer to get a better look._

_"Alexia, get away from there!" James said sharply but it was too late._

_Silently she fell forward into the water, sickly tentacles of water wrapping themselves around her small body, pulling her into inky depths…_

And all hell broke loose.

Someone screamed, James yelped and attempted to jump in after her but was restrained by Sirius, Onyx swore loudly and Delia who was closest leapt forward and seized Alexia's leg which was the only visible body part at that moment with everything else submerged underwater.

Slowly Delia too started to get pulled forward but Shaiera grabbed her round the waist, this didn't work much and the both of them were dragged towards the water. Lara grabbed Shaiera and Lily grabbed Lara and Ruby grabbed Lily and Onyx grabbed Ruby and Remus grabbed Onyx and Sirius, abandoning his attempts and subduing the Potter male grabbed Remus round the waist.

James ran round fretting until with a grunt of effort Sirius managed to get out "Prongs if you want to help Alexia then get the hell in here and pull…NOW!!"

James ran and seized Sirius round the waist. They all dug in their heels into the ground and pulled backwards; playing an impromptu game of Tug-of-war with the force that was sucking in Alexia.

"On Three" Lily called out "One…Two…Three!" and with a combined tug Alexia slowly started to slide towards them. It was like pulling her from glue, the face had no intention of giving her up. Neither did James or anyone else in the group.

With one last counted heave they pulled Alexia free of the pond, the sudden momentum making them all fall backwards like human dominos. James immediately shoved Sirius and the people connected to Sirius off him and ran to his little sister who was lying still on the grass, covered in some kind of aqua coloured goo. He scraped as much off her face as he could and put his ear to her mouth.

"She's not breathing!" he yelled hurriedly "Why didn't we bring the nurse?!"

"Because she can't read a map to save her life" Ruby said, climbing up and swaying slightly.

James let out a groan and she turned pink "Oops, Sorry wrong thing to say"

"Oh for the love of Merlin!" Lily snapped and leaping up herself "Can we discuss this when Alexia is breathing?! Stand back Potter. _Anapneo_" she said waving her wand over Alexia's chest. James moved back just in time to avoid being splattered by the huge glob of goop that flew out of Alexia's mouth. She sucked in air harshly, coughing and spluttering. She tried to sit up but Lily gently pushed her head back down

"Calm down Lapis Lazuli" she said soothingly "There's no need to cough, the spell has cleared any hint of that crap out of your lungs so try to breath normally. Like this; in…and out" Alexia closed her eyes and nodded, concentrating on breathing in time with Lily's instructions. Finally she calmed and Lily let James rush forward again to seize Alexia into his arms and squeeze her tightly

"Don't you ever do that to me again young lady! Or I will find the deepest darkest hole I can find and drop you in it"

"Well at least she's got that to look forward to" Lily said smiling at the two "Let up on the squeezing or you'll undo all my work of making her breath again" James still hugged his sister and pressed kisses onto her forehead but he at least stopped squeezing her so tightly.

Finally he let he go and she was immediately captured in a duel marauder hug with Remus and Sirius. Lily wandered over to where Lara was examining the goopy stuff.

"What is it?" Lily asked picking up some herself and rubbing it between her fingers.

Lara frowned, racking her brain "I think I've seen something like this before. Before my mother died when I was about four in the Malfoy Mansion there was a slight problem in which my uncle Abraxas was dabbling in black magic for reasons I cannot fathom. Idiot. Anyways the short version is that he let loose some sort of spirit which wrecked a lot of havoc until the 'Spiritual Beings' division in the department of the control of magical creatures came and sorted them out. Anyways to make a shortened story even shorter, there was goop splattered around the house, more specifically in the areas the spirit attacked. Its texture, sight and magical residue is much similar to this goo right here"

"So what is it?" Lily asked curiously

"Ectoplasm" Lara answered swiftly flicking the goo from her fingers back onto the ground "That thing that attacked Lexi was not mortal. It's gone right now but I don't think that we've seen the last of it"

Lily chewed her lip thoughtfully "Perhaps it's another guardian of whatever it is we're going on this adventure for?"

"Whatever it is it better be good"

"We shouldn't linger here. EVERYBODY, BREAK TIME'S OVER!" there was a round of assorted groans and complaints.

"You're not thinking of making Alexia move so soon?!" James demanded hotly despite Alexia's reassurance's that she was fine.

Lily surveyed him coolly "Alexia will be fine if we spilt up her things between us so she doesn't have to carry much. I don't care, we're moving in the next two minutes or there will be hell to pay"

James stood his ground and shook his head, beside him most of the group minus Alexia who was still in Remus and Sirius's grasp and Onyx who was watching calmly from the sidelines, neither arguing nor packing. Lara growled and pulled out her wand, pointing it at the group standing opposite her.

"This is how it goes; Lily is the commander and I as her first mate am the enforcer. This means that you are under her authority and my own for the duration of this trip despite our not physically being on the Emerald Shadow. If the Captain says that we are leaving immediately than that is what you will do. Capiche?"

Delia sneered at her "And if we don't?" A cutting spell flew over her head, slicing a few hairs that floated gently to the ground.

"You're just going to open fire on us?!" Sirius demanded "In spite of me being your lover and them being your friends?!"

Lara appraised him coolly "Then why are you opposing us? You all openly recognize Lily as your leader, especially those belonging to the Emerald Shadow. By refusing I'm well in my rights to execute each of you for treason. Think of my refraining for the moment as your 'special treatment'"

Sirius looked outraged and pulled out his own wand "Just try it" he snarled.

Lily sighed heavily and snatched Lara's wand "Sirius put your wand down. The rest of you will do as I say. I'm well aware of Alexia's condition and I wouldn't make you move her if it was not of the utmost importance"

Shaiera studied her "Very well. I believe that you wouldn't ask this if it was not imperative. Come now Delia, take something of Alexia's" Delia threw a scowl at Lara but obeyed her teacher.

"This better be good" muttered Ruby grabbing Alexia's full water bottle and putting it with her own one around her neck. Onyx shrugged and put her pack back on. Alexia struggled out of the hold of her surrogate brothers and took a stick that Shaiera offered her to help walk. Remus sighed and put went to help Alexia, shaping the wood into an elegant walking stick with his wand.

James followed his sister, helping her every time she stumbled despite her swatting him off. Lily shook her head irritably and reabsorbed herself in the map. Lara stood there, locked in a staring contest with Sirius. After a moment he snorted disgustedly and stalked off to James's side without looking at her again.

Lara put a glare on her face and strode after the already departing group. They had already turned a corner and were missing from her view though she could still hear branches and shrubbery falling as Onyx slashed through it. The strap on her bag suddenly snapped and the contents spilt onto the ground. Lara swore and bent down to pick it up.

She went to grab her wand to repair the bag but her fingers snatched at empty air in her pocket. She frowned and looked in her other pocket, then in her hair, down her top, down her pants, in her boots, in her bag gradually getting more and more frantic. She ran back to the clearing and looked through the grass.

Searching the place she stood with Lily and she threatened the rest of their comrades, and then shot a spell at Delia. Her mind began to catch up with her, and then Sirius pulled out his wand and Lily snatched Lara's to stop the threat of them dueling.

Dammit! Lily had her wand and Lily was with the rest of the group.

Lara swore again, this time more violently. She picked up her bag and held it to her chest glaring at it as if it was the bags fault for breaking and making her forget to get her wand back from Lily.

She stopped suddenly and listened hard. She couldn't hear Onyx's 'pruning' or any chatter from the rest of the group. In fact she couldn't hear anything at all.

She was in the place that the strange force that almost killed Alexia was in and she was alone and wandless. Not a good idea.

Lara looked around her warily for any signs of the spiritual variety. The pond bubbled slightly and she broke into a run, sprinting straight down the path like the devil was after her. With all likelihood it could be.

A scraping noise came from behind her and she ran even faster, jeers sounded from the bush either side of her as she dashed down the path occasionally stumbling on branches. Shouldn't she have caught up with them by now?! Something slashed at her ankle, cutting straight through her boots and she screamed.

Wind whipped around her and wraithlike hands ran through her hair and all over her face and body. Lara screamed louder and swatted the hands away frantically. Then she turned a sharp corner and skidded, crashing into the bush before jumping up again. The ghostly harassment had suddenly stopped when she turned the corner as if a switch has been flipped. And there!

Up ahead was everyone else with their wands out, trying to figure out where the scream came from and what all the commotion was. Lara sprinted full speed towards them, glancing behind her agitatedly incase the force decided to come back again.

James saw her first and had time to yell "Lara!" before she crashed full force into Sirius almost knocking him over and clung to him shaking and sobbing into his shirt.

He immediately ignored any anger he felt at her and wrapped his arms tight, muttering soothing words and kissing her tear stained cheeks. When she was finally calm enough to speak though still clinging child-like to Sirius, not that he minded, Lily pulled out a handkerchief and mopped up the tears.

"Ame, what the hell just happened?" Lara took a shaky breath and began her story of being behind the group then her bag breaking and finding out her wand was missing, the sudden silence then the bubbling pond and the attacks made on her while she ran hysterically up the path. There was silence when she finished

"Erm…" Delia asked hesitantly "There isn't a chance that you just got a fright and imagined the rest is there? And there's no killer spirits trying to, you know…kill us?"

Lara glared harshly at her and pointed to her boot which had a large tear in it, "Does this look like I bloody imagined it?! My boot is now filled with imaginary blood!" She sat on the ground and pulled off her blood soaked boot and her stocking.

Shaiera sat in front of her and cleaned the wound gently with her wand and when the blood was gone they could all clearly see the laceration cut straight down her leg. Shaiera conjured bandages which she started wrapping round Lara's leg

"My healing skills don't stretch to actually fixing the wound but I can bandage it until Andalusite can fix it on board. DO you want to go back to the ship or grin and bear the pain until we get back?"

Lara shook her head hastily "No way am I going back there. I'll just go with the pain" Lily passed her wand back and she cleaned her stocking and boot and repaired the tear before putting then both on carefully. Sirius bent down a pulled her back up with an arm round her waist for support.

"Do you want my walking stick?" Alexia asked worriedly.

Lara smiled at her "No thanks Lexi babe, I got my own walking stick in Sirius" Lara leant heavily on Sirius

"You know I could carry you love" he offered.

Lara shook her head "I'm not stranger to pain, I can take it as well as any man. I can't see you offering to carry James if he hurt his ankle" she teased testing her weight on her foot gingerly.

James looked affronted "I will have you know Miss Malfoy that mister Padfoot would give me a piggy-back had I happen upon a single splinter in misfortune" he said in a haughty voice mockingly.

Sirius snorted "Not bloody likely old chap" Alexia giggled.

"Right-o then, forward march" Lily commanded jovially. And Lara linked with Sirius for support and they continued on with their journey.

* * *

Not so far away, Lucius Malfoy laughed darkly "I've wanted to do that to my cousin since we were but mere children"

Tom Riddle glowered behind him, not that that happened to be different to any of his recent moods lately.

"I told you to kill the wench" he snarled. Lucius immediately silenced and looked at his Lord tentatively, unsure of whether to duck or not. It was hard to tell with Tom's recent moods, moods he'd had since loosing that dratted treasure map.

"I want that map Lucius. And I want the bitch who has it dead"

Lucius kept his head down and murmured "Of course my Lord"

Tom nodded at him, a hand pulled at his other side and Tom glared downwards at the blonde sitting next to him.

"Do you need a soothing massage baby?" she simpered.

Tom rolled his eyes in disgust "No I don't want a bloody massage woman. Get out of my sight"

Anastasia pouted "But baby" she whined "We never spend time together anymore. You're always so focused on that stupid map"

Tom caught her face roughly in his hand "That 'stupid map' woman is what will ensure my eternal rule over the wizarding and muggle world. It is more important to me than you ever will. Got that?" he squeezed her face painfully and made her nod.

He released her "Good. Now for the last time…GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!" Anastasia whimpered slightly and ran back into the wood.

Lucius winced, he was brought up to treat women better but it would be more than his life's worth to say that out loud. Instead he kissed up to Tom, it lessened his chances at torture and extended his life span

"Would you like me to be rid of her for you master? She is not worthy to be killed by your wand"

Tom rubbed his chin "No; unfortunately she still has her uses. She may not be worthy enough for me to kill myself yet she shares my bed. Is that not strange Lucius"

The aforementioned swallowed hard "I didn't not mean to imply-"

He was cut off by Tom clapping him on the shoulder pleasantly "I know what you are meaning Lucius, I was only talking in jest"

Lucius relaxed slightly but was still a little on edge at his masters rapid change of mood. Tom walked away but suddenly paused, turning back to Lucius

"Oh and Lucius"

"Yes sir?"

"_Crucio_"

_**Wow that was a long one, I was originally going to stop when Lara started to follow after the group then I shrugged and added a bit more, then a bit more until I wrote another two pages. I hope you enjoyed the little scene with Tom, I like writing him. My mum replaced our cushy computer chair with this crappy wooden one that hurt my arse so I went into her study and found it again. Ha she wanted it for herself but she won't get it!! Mwahaha. **_

_**Some people are obsessed with themselves, but they don't know why **_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	20. Almandine Eyes

**_Hey all I'm back! After 'accidentally' injuring two of my characters. Completely unintentional I assure you. Anyways here's the new chapter, enjoy!_**

Chapter Twenty

"So remind me again why, after two of our group members have been brutally attacked, are we still going on this stupid quest?" Delia asked, slightly puffed by the path taking a steep climb up the side of a mountain.

"Because two of our group members have been brutally attacked…that makes it personal" Lily answered, not in the least bit out of breath.

"So you are declaring a grudge match against an island?" James gave an amused grin to her. Lily smiled back at him, the fresh air putting her in a good mood

"Well it's not the strangest thing I've ever done"

"I second that" Lara muttered behind her "Like that time in London when-"

"AND IF CERTAIN PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR THEM THEY WILL NEVER BRING UP WHAT HAPPENED IN LONDON AGAIN!" Lily yelled across the first mate.

Lara smiled shrewdly "Of course Red, I'm too tired to tell how you got absolutely foxed and tried to have your way with an officer of the law" James made a strangled noise in the back of his throat.

Lara glanced at him "Calm down Potter I was just joking" there was a collective sigh of relief not only from James but from the marauders, Alexia and Delia as well. The rest just stayed silent and smirking, having all been there at the time the event occurred.

"…It was a lamppost that Lily thought was a policeman" Lara finished with a triumphant smirk.

"Shut up you horrible person, Shut up!" Lily hissed over Shaiera, Onyx and Ruby's hysterical laughter as they all remembered the night their captain was so drunk she could hardly walk. Against his will James let out a small chuckle and winced when Lily turned her blazing green eyes to him

"Care to repeat that again _Jamie_?"

He shook his head "No Lily…but I just have to say: Damn, if being sexy was a crime, you'd be guilty as charged!" Lara fell over laughing; Sirius attempted to pick her back up again but gave up and sat with her on the ground chuckling. Lily was the only one not laughing as she stood there turning redder and redder.

"James Harold Potter" she hissed, James gulped "Come now Lily, it was a joke" Lily smirked dangerously as she pulled out her wand.

"You're so hot; your ass is on fire" she said dryly pointing at his behind. James frowned and turned round looking at his butt.

"_Incendio_!" Lily shot a thin flame out of the tip of her wand.

"OW-OW-OW-OW-OWOWOW!!!" James yelped, running around in a circle like a chicken with its head cut off.

"Oh Merlin" Sirius muttered "What's the incantation for the spell with the water?"

Remus shook his head in disgust "I still don't understand how you graduated from Hogwarts. JAMES STAND STILL!" He bellowed suddenly, shocking James to still; Remus never yelled.

"_Aguamenti_!" Remus shot a spell at James's behind, this time it was a thin whip of water that doused the flames Lily had set upon him. "There, all better now?" he asked in a condescending tone.

James checked behind to see himself before he could relax.

"No, now it's not all better" Alexia said with wide eyes "Now he look's like he's wet himself" she started giggling helplessly.

Lily stuffed her fist in her mouth but still let out a suspicious choking noise that made James spin round to face her.

"Why, may I ask do you find this funny?" He asked sourly.

"Cos it is" Lily spluttered out with her hand still covering her mouth. She was close to losing it and joining Lara and Sirius laughing on the floor. James glared at her and took a step towards her; Lily took a step back still giggling helplessly. James smirked and took out his wand

"_Accio Lily_"

(A/n The reason I'm allowing this spell, not only because I'm too lazy to find another spell with the same effects but because Accio is the opposite of the banishing hex and I'm pretty sure wizards can banish each other in a duel so why shouldn't it's counterpart be used on a human? If my reasoning's are wrong then it's just because I'm the author of the story and what I say goes)

Lily's eyes widened suddenly and the spell took effect, propelling her into James's awaiting arms, the ground vanished below them.

They suddenly disappeared.

Lara and Sirius immediately sat up and rushed to the edge of a large hole that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the path.

"Well that's not suspicious" Delia stared shocked over the edge.

"JAMES…LILY...ARE YOU HURT?!" Sirius bellowed into the darkness. The entire group including the exhausted Lara and Alexia surrounded the hole, faces peering over the edge.

"_Lumos_" the spell didn't reach the end of the deep hole. Sirius gritted his teeth

"_Lumos Maxima_!" he tried again, the brief flare of light showed a glance towards the bottom. A flash of red caught his attention before the spell extinguished.

"I saw a brief glimpse if Lily's hair but I could not see Prongs anywhere. Perhaps with his hair being black it is too hard to see?" he added hopefully.

"Lily! Answer me you bloody girl!" Lara yelled.

"Lara?" Lily's voice came up loud and clear "I'm using Sonorus but I can hardly hear you. James is unconscious"

"What?!" Yelped Sirius, Remus grabbed him by the arm to stop him jumping into the gaping hole himself.

"Okay we're going to need a plan of action here" Shaiera murmured

"Well do we want to go down there or do we want Lily and James to come back up?" Ruby asked.

"Down", "Up" Sirius and Shaiera said at the same time.

Sirius glared at her "We can't risk moving James, so we go down"

Shaiera frowned "But it will be easier to help him if we can see what we're doing"

"What the hell are you doing up there?" Lily demanded.

Lara leant down the hole again "Lily can you see what's down there"

"No Lara, it's completely pitch black" Lily snapped sarcastically. Lara rolled her eyes "Then use your wand; are you a bloody witch or not?!" she snapped back just as sarcastically.

There was silence then a barely perceptible glow of light was seen at the bottom. The light went out and Lily started to speak again.

"We're standing at the foot of some sort of tunnel"

"Well are we going to explore creepy tunnel or leave best friends to die in creepy tunnel?" Lara asked the rest of the group. "Hands up who want to go down the tunnel?" Her, Sirius, Alexia and Remus raised their hands.

"Well we win" Delia said happily "Life it is"

Lara glared at her "Wait a minute that's exactly half the people here, now everyone who wants to stay above ground raise their hands" Shaiera, Delia and Ruby raised their hands.

Delia turned her glare to Onyx "Hey you didn't vote"

Onyx gave her a deadened look "I don't care what option we take"

Lara beamed at her "Down the hole we go then"

"But she didn't vo-" Delia protested before getting cut off

"DOWN THE HOLE" Lara repeated firmly.

"Um, how do we get down the hole?" asked Alexia quietly.

"We could summon rope from the Emerald Shadow" Remus suggested.

Lara shook her head "No we might accidentally summon some of the rigging and believe me it is a pain to get back up. Does anyone have any other ideas?"

"We could levitate ourselves down"

"No, the risk of the spell shortening out before we reach the bottom is too high" Remus immediately said.

Onyx exhaled nosily, making everyone look at her and pulled out a thick length of rope from her bag.

"Oh wow I could kiss you right now if I weren't already in a committed relationship" Lara burst out happily "Even so I meant that figuratively"

"How do you kiss someone figuratively?" Delia demanded snidely.

Lara patted her hard on the head in a patronising way "You'll find out when you're older dear"

Onyx sighed heavily and went to attach the rope to a tree, Ruby helping her.

"Oh dear, what are we going to do about Lara and Alexia?" Shaiera suddenly said "I mean, both of them are injured, they can't climb down"

"Nonsense" Lara defended "It's only my ankle that's hurt, and I have great upper body strength"

"And either Sirius or myself can carry Alexia" Remus added smiling reassuringly at her.

"Right, are you sure that rope's fastened?" Lara asked, heaving herself up and wincing slightly at the twinge of pain through her leg. Onyx nodded.

"Lils, we're coming down" Lara bellowed down the hole.

"What?" Lily shouted back but Lara had already, with the help of Sirius and Remus started down the hole with the rope wrapped tight round her body.

_**Okay sorry to end it there but I gotta go to bed. I have to get up early to see my best friend who has just come back from holiday in Australia! YAYAYAY! Anyways review and I'll see you next week!**_

**_Those who are constantly watching their backs eventually end up getting hit from the front…_**

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

**_XXX _**


	21. Andradite Eyes

_**Hello chaps! I sort of half wrote this last week then had to go to bed early and forgot to post it. Whoops, I got a bit of writers block as well but without further ado here it is…enjoy!**_

Chapter Twenty One

"_Lils, we're coming down" Lara bellowed down the hole._

"_What?" Lily shouted back but Lara had already, with the help of Sirius and Remus started down the hole with the rope wrapped tight round her body._

Once down the bottom Lily ran to untie Lara who then, without the support of the ropes promptly fell over flat.

"Thanks" she said in a sarcastic tone while facing the ground.

"No prob-"Lily started to say but way cut off when Sirius landed straight on the first mate.

"Pain" Lara gasped out from under the mass of him.

"Hmm?" asked Sirius looking down. His eyes widened comically and he leapt off, swearing loudly.

"Is everything alright down there Padfoot?" Remus called down the hole, his voice a slight echo that was barely understandable. Sirius didn't answer as he and Lily hooked their arms around Lara and pulled her upright, leaning against the wall.

A few seconds later Remus carrying Alexia landed hard in the spot where she had been. Everyone winced at what could have been.

"You need to loose a few pounds" Lara told Sirius pointedly and feeling her ribs gently "I think I cracked something" He apologized repeatedly.

"It's nothing" she assured "We'll just put you on a vegetable diet when we get home; your flab will be gone in no time" she poked jokingly at Sirius's stomach.

"I will have you know that this is all muscle. The result of hundreds of sit-ups and squat thrusts done on the hard ground" he swatted her hand away indignantly then caught sight of James leaning against the wall with his glasses cracked and a slight trickle of blood running down the side of his face.

"Prongs!" he yelped and rushed over to check his best friend, running his hands over his skull to check for fractures.

"I already did that" Lily told him "The blood's just a small cut from his glasses. When we landed he broke my fall" she added sheepishly.

Sirius looked at her aghast "You used James as a shield between yourself and the ground?!"

Lily glanced at him coolly "The same way you used Lara as a shield between yourself and the ground. It was an accident Black, we just landed that way"

"Oh right, sorry" Sirius said bashfully.

Delia landed on the ground and fell over. "Is anyone going to revive him or are we just going to watch him sleep?" she asked looking at James.

"Oh, right" muttered Sirius, he pointed his wand at James _"Ennervate**"**_ James's eyes shot open

"Lily" he yelled.

"-Is fine" Sirius finished for him.

"Padfoot?" James's eyes focused on him through the broken glass.

"We're all fine, except for Lara because Sirius landed on her. You were knocked unconscious. When we landed" Lily reminded him gently.

James looked appalled "Me?! Unconscious?! Preposterous, I will have you know that i have never been knocked out in my life"

"Except for the quiddich game in your third year" Sirius corrected.

"Except for the quiddich game in my third year"James agreed.

"…and just then" Sirius added.

James nodded "Yes, and just th-Hey!" he yelled indignantly.

"Hay is for horses" Delia, Lara, Lily and Alexia stated sardonically. The attention was momentarily shifted as Ruby somehow dropped the rope and fell right into Delia's arms.

"Thanks love" she said relieved.

"You're welcome" said a slightly shocked Delia.

"How sad it is that we can climb the rigging with ease yet none of us can climb down a rope with grace" Lara commented. Onyx dropped neatly to the ground and landed on her feet.

"I stand corrected" There was a squeak and Shaiera tumbled down and landed on Onyx.

"I have absolutely no idea where I stand" Lara finished watching the human pile with amusement.

"Right" James declared standing "If we're all down here then I dare believe that our new destination is through the tunnel correct?"

"Mmhmm" Lily agreed

"Your glasses are cracked" Alexia informed him sleepily. Lily gently took off James's glasses, repaired them with a flick of her wand and returned them to a grateful James.

"We're in a hole with a tunnel sticking out of it; the only way we can go is forward" Lara said seizing Sirius as her walking stick.

"Injured to the back" Lily took over commands. "Remus can you carry Alexia? Great, me, James, Turquoise, Onyx and Ruby in front. Then Amber, Sirius and Amethyst, Remus and Lapis Lazuli. Wands out and stay alert. I don't want the next accident to be a fatal one" with a mutual agreement to keep Lily in charge the group moved to their allotted positions.

The tunnel was completely dark with only the light from the wands to guide them. It was cramped and dirty and vaguely smelt fusty and a stench they later identified as rotting flesh. Lily paused and did a four point spell and consulted her map

"Well according to the map the tunnel is leading us in the right direction. We should stay with it"

"It's not like there's any other options" Delia muttered darkly. Lara sent a small shock from her wand just enough to make the girl jump.

"What?" Delia snapped

"Shut up" Lara replied simply. Delia growled but returned her attention to the front just in time to slam silently into Ruby who had stopped still. The tunnel had widened out into a large cavern with a ceiling too high to see and the disgusting odor they had smelt before mixed with the musty smell of the tunnel had suddenly grown much stronger.

"What _is_ that?!" Delia asked loudly holding her nose.

"That's the smelling of flesh gone bad" Sirius said looking down with disgust at a rotting femur bone. A human thigh bone.

"Something's wrong here" Lily muttered scanning the dim room. A crack sounded. All attention was given to a small copper coloured shape. Nearly fourteen feet in length with smooth scales and black ridge markings, the dragon crunched hard on a large unidentifiable bone.

"Peruvian Vipertooth" Remus gasped lightly.

Lara looked at him sharply "Didn't the International Confederation of Wizards just perform a mass extermination on this particular species to reduce their number due to their liking for human flesh?"

"Well it appears they missed one" James said distractedly staring at the beast that hadn't of yet noticed them.

"Perhaps we can get around it? Is there another way out?" Shaiera asked quietly so as not to disturb the dragon.

James looked around "There's an opening there" he mumbled pointing to the wall across from them. Unfortunately to get to the wall they would have to walk past the dragon. "The only other way is to go back the way we came"

"Absolutely not" Lara proclaimed firmly "We've walked all this way to find out what's at the end of the bloody tunnel and no oversized lizard is standing between me and the treasure" Alas, the dragon seemed to take offense at being called an 'oversized lizard' and stopped it's feast of human remains and slowly turned round.

"Nice" Delia snapped sarcastically.

"Not a good time to argue you two" Lily said, keeping her green eyes locked firmly on the dragon who was now examining them through yellowed eyes. Suddenly the beast gave a roar, the entire cavern shook.

The Peruvian Vipertooth spread its wings which were each nearly ten feet in length causing it to be slightly impaired from its full potential by the small space. With another deafening screech that echoed around the cave the dragon leapt forward and soared rapidly towards them.

"Move!" Lily screamed as they dived in opposite directions out of the way. The dragon made a sharp turn right, narrowly avoiding colliding with the wall.

"Stunners at the ready" Lara called out "Aim for the eyes" The dragon looped upwards disappearing into the ceiling.

"Keep on your guard" Lara warned.

Delia sneered at her "Oh yeah like I need you to tell me-AHHH" her words were cut off in a shriek as the dragon flew down in a blur and fastened it's fangs into her arm. It shook its head in an attempt to dislodge the appendage but was distracted from several stunners simultaneously hitting it in the eyes.

The dragon let go and swayed slightly before shaking its head and charging at Alexia; the one he judged to be the least threat due to her leaning heavily against the wall. But before it got to its target Onyx leapt forward and plunged her cutlass into the dragon's left wing and dragged downwards, tearing the frail tissue.

The small dragon let out an earsplitting cry and instinctively veered to the right away from the pain. It crashed into the wall and staggered back. Angrily it charged half-blinded by pain into the path of Remus. Shaiera repelled it with a spinning kick to the injured wing.

The creature screamed even louder and the group of humans opposing it felt their ears pop. The dragon let loose its final resistance a large spew of flame ejected from its mouth…right into the path of Lily. Her eyes widened momentarily before James was suddenly in front of her.

"_AGUAMENTI!" _he bellowed forming a large shield of water in front of himself and his pirate queen. The flame hit the shield and for few precious moments all sight was extinguished as steam flooded the room.

"_Ventus Videlicet_" Someone muttered and a gust of wind blew away the steam. It revealed a panting James and a shaking Lily distorted from being behind the water shied.

The dragon stared in surprise…or as surprised as a bloodthirsty dragon could get. All it had wanted was a few more bones to add to its collection and perhaps some more of the appetizing flesh to chow on while it was stuck down here. The meals with sticks had thwarted it's every attempt to get a decent meal and now it was here exhausted and in a large amount of pain. This time when the stunners hit, the dragon stayed down.

"Are you okay?" James asked Lily gently as he dispersed his shield.

Lily stared up at him "James…you saved me" she breathed.

James blushed "Well…I just…you were…" Lily leapt up and crashed her lips against his, not that he was complaining.

"Thank you" she said as they parted. James smiled and bent down for another kiss when he was distracted by Lara's voice.

"Oh Morgana" Lily and James spun around to see her kneeling at the side of an ashen faced Delia. Delia's arm was covered in a sticky red liquid and beginning to smell strange, the bit's of skin that were visible on her arm were green tinged. Lily's eyes widened and she tore from James's arms to her newest crew mate.

"Peruvian Vipertooth's have a particularly toxic bite. The venom must have seeped into her arm when she was bitten" Lara said as soon as Lily was in hearing range.

Lily swore violently "Can we save her?" she demanded.

Lara bit her lip "I think I know a potion that will slow the poison. It won't stop it but it will keep it from entering the main bloodstream. She needs medical attention as soon as possible though so we need to get her back to the ship"

Lily nodded "Right, we'll think about tat as soon as she's stable. What are the ingredients?"

"Scurvy-grass, Rue, Sopophorus Bean, root of Flitterbloom, belladonna, a crushed bezoar and the blood of the dragon who poisoned her" Lara ratted off the top of her head.

"Where are we going to find the ingredients though?" Lily frowned.

"Um…I think we have a solution" Alexia spoke up timidly from where her and Remus were standing in front of the new entrance way. Lily got up and strode over to them. She gasped as she came into view of a large garden filled with many magical and muggle plants. Including most of the ingredients needed

"What on earth is that doing here?" she mused to herself.

"We can think about that later. But for now; don't look a gift horse in the mouth" Remus reminded her.

Lily immediately snapped out of it "Right, Ruby and Onyx collect the ingredients necessary, Sirius go get some of that beasties blood, Alexia sit down love so you don't exhaust yourself, Turquoise go help Lara and James find something to transfigure into a cauldron and start a fire"

Ruby and Onyx ran into the garden and came out a few minutes later with the Scurvy-grass, a handful of the highly scented Rue, a few shriveled Sopophorus Beans, a Flitterbloom plant and belladonna which they gave to Lara.

Shaiera cleared away the blood on Delia's arm to assess and attempted to slow the flow with a few well placed spells. James quickly transfigured a large rock into a black cauldron and using his wand created a blue sparkling flame underneath.

Lara pulled out her dagger and using a cutting board James transfigured out of a bone expertly sliced the scurvy-grass into even pieces and throwing them in with the flower petals of the Rue plant and the outer layer of skin from the Belladonna.

She used the flat side of her dagger to extract the juices from the Sopophorus Beans and added them along with the roots, putting in the roots exactly thirteen seconds apart.

Sirius came back with the blood and she added four and a half drops in nine second intervals. The potion started to smoke a vivid blue and smell faintly like strawberries. She started to stir counterclockwise with a clockwise turn added in every so often.

"We need a bezoar" she called out.

"I have one in my medical supplies" Shaiera said pulling one out of a pouch she wore on her waist.

"Remy, smash that a little will ya?" Lara said keeping her attention on the potion. Remus complied and Lara put in the ruby red powder when the potion turned teal and began to emit a snapping sound. She bent back

"Fire in the hole!" she yelled out as the cauldron released a large pink fire ball into the air which then fell back down into the potion and turning it purple.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you chose that colour" Sirius said watching Lara smear the ointment on Delia's arm with her knife, careful not to get any on her hands.

"It's completely coincidental that the colour of the potion coincides with my eye colour. Wow, that's a lot of 'C's"

The sickly green colour of Delia's skin began to recede as soon as the potion touched it. Lily took that as a good sign. Lara used the last of the potion and sat back

"You can go ahead and bandage that now" she told Shaiera "But DON'T touch the potion" Shaiera nodded and carefully wrapped Delia's arm in conjured bandages.

"She will need a blood replenishing potion as well" Remus noted.

"There's one in my purse" Shaiera told him. They both blushed as Remus leant forward and got the potion out of the pouch on her waist. (A/n: It being dangerously close to _other_ areas and all)

Lara watched their reddened faces carefully before sharing a pointed look with Lily. Lily gave her a whatshallwedoaboutthisnewdevelopment look and Lara being practiced in the art of informative looks understood immediately.

She prepared to give a longer one back when James interrupted "We should get her back to the ship so your nurse can heal her. Alexia will come too" Alexia complained immediately but Lily held up her hand silencing her.

"James, Sirius, Remus and Alexia will go back with Delia to the ship" There was immediate protesting from the Marauders and Alexia.

Lily held up her hand again"Alexia, you can hardly walk and the lads will be able to carry you and Delia to the Emerald Shadow and fend off any attacks along the way. Besides I don't think any of you three want to leave Alexia" They considered

"But what about you?" Sirius asked.

Lara laughed "Siri love, we've been on our own for a long time before we met you, we're perfectly able to protect ourselves"

"But you are injured" Sirius said slightly accusingly "Why aren't you coming?"

"Because we all know I would moan and sulk and be absolutely unbearable unless I was allowed to stay. None of us are ladies of the court Sirius; we done quests with worse injuries than a scratch on the ankle" Sirius snorted at the deep cut being referred to as 'scratch'.

Lara lay her hand on his arm "Hey, we'll be fine"

"Promise?" he asked repenting somewhat

"I never promise but if I did I would" Lara replied.

Sirius shrugged; this was good as he was going to get he thought as he gave Lara an admittedly zealous farewell snog.

"Very well" James sighed "But if you die then I'm going to get into necromancy just so I can resurrect you and kill you myself" he warned Lily kissing her goodbye.

"Exhibitionists" Remus teased as he hooked his arms under Delia and effortlessly picked her up.

Lara pulled away from Sirius and poked her tongue out at him Sirius sighed defeated and picked up Alexia, ignoring her grumble's that she could walk just bloody fine on her own thank you. James turned his head away from Lily and berated his little sister on her unladylike language.

Lily smirked "Potter darling, she's a pirate; that's about as unladylike you can be without being a male" James snorted derisively and bid goodbye in a kindly manner before he and the rest of the marauders exited the way they came with their human cargo.

Lily sighed "…and then there was five" before her and the remaining members of her crew set off into the garden.

**_To be eaten by a bad tempered Daisy…dumDumDUM! Strange ending to the story that would be. I put some Lara/Sirius, Lily/James and a microscopic Remus/Shaiera fluff even though I'm not really focusing on that couple at the moment. I hope you enjoyed and review…because that is the right thing to do. I made a rhyme!_ **

**_Never test the depth of water with both feet…_**

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	22. Rhodochrosite Eyes

**_Oops I meant to update last night but I'd written half and my mum made me go to bed since schools just started again and I have to get up early. Which sucks. Oh well I get school and you get a new chapter, enjoy!_**

Chapter Twenty Two

The five women formed a strange picture as they made their way through the peculiar garden full of plants both magical and muggle.

A small brown skinned girl with sharp crimson eyes took notice of a patch of Chinese Chomping Cabbages getting a bit too close for her liking; they receded when her elegant fingers rested lightly at the scabbard attached to her right hip.

Her actions were noticed and a small smile formed on the usually stoic features of a tall muscular woman with a barely noticeable twinkle in her midnight eyes, her dark wiry hair was pulled back into a mass of thin braids that crossed her scalp in swirling patterns.

In a sharp contrast to the dark woman was another woman that seemed to be made of light. With flaxen hair and fair skin, that at the moment was covered in small scratches, she quietly observed a Fanged Geranium sneak up and attempt to devour a falsely naïve bluebell who then expelled a puff of deadly looking orange gas which instantly turned the Fanged Geranium into a turnip. (A/n don't you just _love_ the magical world?)

She emitted a soft sigh and her oceanic eyes turned to a slightly limping raven haired woman who seemed to find the need to fill the silence with endless amounts of chatter, mostly directed at the redhead walking serenely beside her, lost in thought.

Mindlessly the green eyed female slapped away the enquiring feelers of a vine creeping around her waist and pulled out a map for the hundred and fourth time, studied it and performed the point me spell which was by now so familiar that Lily was sure she could do it in her sleep. Lara cut off her prattle suddenly and looked over,

"Red, I may not be a cartographist but even I know that despite your numerous checking of our surroundings we're still in the same bloody garden we were in when you last checked the map thirty seconds ago"

Lily sighed heavily "I know, I know. But we've been walking in this garden for hours and the worst we've seen so far is a Venomous Tentacula in need of a good dentist"

"And the Snargaluff that Turquoise sat upon" reminded Ruby.

All five women shuddered, remembering how Lily called for a break an hour or so ago and Shaiera had the misfortune to sit on a tree stump only to find a large quantity of brambly vines shooting out and ensnaring her. It had taken four stunners, several _Diffindo_'s and a _Sectumsempra_ to get her out.

"It looked like a stump" Shaiera defended.

"Why would you sit on a piece of tree that is rooted in magical soil anyways" Lara muttered to herself but audibly enough for everyone else to hear it. Shaiera wrinkled her nose at her and Lara poked out her tongue in reply.

"Stop it you two, you're worse than the kids we see on the docks" Lily spoke without taking her eyes off the map. Then she stopped, brow furrowed as she looked down at the map. The other pirates crowded round her and looking at the map

"It appears we're almost there. The 'X' is two centimetres from where we supposedly are, and a one centimetre is roughly a mile so we only have a couple more miles till we reach the big one" this was met by loud cheers that echoed through the garden despite there only being five women present.

They set out again with renewed vigor and within a few minutes passed out of the garden and into another passage. Though this one was a rich comparison to the grotty smelly tunnel they went through before; rich being the key word.

The hallway was clean with light enhancing the gild covering everything and giving it a golden glow. The walls were painted with each section showing a detailed story and the floor was made of heavy gold slabs. Everything gleamed and there wasn't a speck of dust on anything.

Lily took a breath of air "Smell that? Its fresh meaning that this must have an opening to the outside somewhere"

"Great deduction magistrate Lily" Lara said sarcastically.

Shaiera bent down to examine the floors with interest "What I want to know is how much gold we can carry before we drop. There's got to be a fortune of this stuff"

"Don't get your hopes up" Ruby squatted down next to her. She pulled a dagger from her sash and dug a sliver of the flooring up, holind it up and showing the dull grey underneath "It's just gold gilding, not real gold"

"'_for what I possess is not for greed_'" Lily read off the script on the map. "This stuff is pretty but it's not treasure. We continue" with a disheartened look at the golden floor they continued until they came to a large marble staircase that spiraled upwards.

Lara glared at it "Why can't they install an elevator or floo? For temporary cripples like myself"

"Because it would be one hell of a job getting the magical installments crew here" Lily replied "Now let's keep going, I would like to reach the treasure before dark" with one more baleful look at the stair, Lara started to climb after Lily with the others following close behind. The stair reached higher and higher until they couldn't see the top nor bottom.

"Where does it get this height? I mean the hole wasn't that big" Shaiera puffed

"I'm guessing we're going into the mountain" Lily replied.

"What's that noise?" Onyx asked suddenly. They all paused to listen; a faint roaring sound was heard from above them.

"If that's another one of those things that are intended to kill us then I'm going to scream" Lara said bleakly.

Lily shook her head "No, what kind of mountain were we climbing?" she asked as she continued up the stairs.

"A mountain kind of mountain" Lara replied sarcastically "I'm not the bloody authority on the types of different mountains. They all look like rocks with an Engorgement charm on them to me. Why?"

"Because" Lily said pointing to the end of the stair that hadn't been there before. "I think that this is one of those mountains with melted rock inside it"

"A volcano?!" four voices shouted as one.

The new entry way, that hadn't been there before, lead onto a thin bridge of rock only a metre thick and a few feet wide…and it was over a boiling lake of lava.

"Oh I know this is going to go down badly" Ruby muttered.

Lily swore "And this day just keeps getting better and better. I've lost contact with my ship, had four of my crew injured, been attacked by a dragon, water, a ghost and god knows what else and now I have to walk on a thin stick of rock across a large puddle of volcanic emission"

"And still the world keeps on spinning" Lara drawled beside her "Knock off the depressed stuff Lils, at least you don't have to make the trip on damaged appendage"

"Keep this up lass and you'll have two damaged appendages" Lily muttered under her breath. Then she straightened up with new fire dancing in her eyes "Alright my dear companions, we've faced a ghost, a dragon and the threat of having Lara sing. Are we going to be browbeaten by a measly bridge over a boiling lake of molten rock?!" There was silence and uncomfortable shifting at this.

Lara rolled her eyes "Great pep talk Emerald" she said sarcastically.

Lily growled "I won't be having any lily-lived curs in my crew. So if you want to keep your ride home on the Emerald Shadow then you will all get your swashbuckling arses upon that bridge! _Do I make myself clear_?!"

This time there was a chorus of "Aye captain"

"Right, Lara you first"

"Why do I have to go first? Make Shaiera go; she's of lesser status and thus be less mourned"

"Actually," Ruby corrected "Turquoise spends her time being an angelic sweetie instead of intentionally irritating people to see their reaction like you do so logically she'll be the one people miss"

"We're all going eventually so if you don't want to go first then I will" Onyx muttered getting slightly irritated by the non moving. She walked out cautiously onto the ledge and paused. It didn't break so she was joined by the rest of the group moving slowly and carefully onto the ledge.

Onyx looked nervously down. It wasn't in her nature to show fear yet the height, not to mention the lava made her a little more than nervous.

"You alright?" Ruby called from a few metres away. Onyx nodded and subtly glanced down again.

A surge flew through the lava a behind them and about ten metres below them a rock exploded with a loud noise. Onyx jumped slightly and lost her balance tipping backward her arms flailed uselessly before she dropped downward.

Ruby watched her fall in slow-motion and without thinking about it flung herself forwards, skidding over the rock to seize one of Onyx's flailing hands. But the diminutive Ruby was no match for the burly Onyx and her weight forced Ruby to fall forward with her comrade, plunging downward toward the lava.

"_WINGARDUIM LEVIOSA!"_ bellowed three voices in unison. The two pirates stopped, caught in a web of magic a few inches above the magma. Then they began to slowly rise up, controlled by the three wands of their companions until they reached the safety of the bridge. There they both lay panting until they were approached by their saviors.

Lily wiped sweat off her brow "That was one hell of a close call, I could have just lost you both"

Shaiera sat them both up gently and checked for wounds; Onyx was unaffected except for a slight case of shock but Ruby had a large bloody graze across her stomach from skidding across the rock.

Shaiera winced "I have an ointment for that in my pack" she applied it gently to the injury. Ruby breathed a sigh of relief as the pain ebbed away

"That stuff really works"

"It should," Lara replied amused "We pilfered it off Pomfrey"

"Have you noticed how every member of this excursion has been attacked so far?" Ruby asked suddenly as she got up "Lapis Lazuli had the episode with the face in the water, Amber and the dragon, Amethyst and the spirit who wounded her ankle, me and Onyx with the thing that just happened and even Lord Potter with the hole. Makes me wonder that if Lord's Black and Lupin hadn't gone with the two young lasses to the ship, would they have been attacked as well?"

"In fact, the only one who hasn't been hurt is the captain" Onyx said slowly.

Lara shook her head "No, both Lily and Potter-male fell down the fissure"

"But she wasn't injured"

"Well neither are you" snapped Lara tenaciously.

Onyx held up one wrist, there were red scratches on it which Ruby had accidentally made when grabbing for her. "It's still an injury, no matter how small"

Lara glanced helplessly at Lily who remained pokerfaced

"Let's continue" the captain said finally before continuing onto the other side of the bridge.

Lara hobbled after her "I won't let it hurt you" she said fiercely.

Lily gave a sidelong glance to her "I doubt you can stop it. Calm down my love, I doubt it will kill me. It didn't kill anyone else"

"But it could have! They were so close to getting killed and it was only dumb luck that saved them"

Lily shook her head slowly "No, remember how when Delia was bitten we found the exact ingredients needed right next door? That was no coincidence. I believe this is all some sort of elaborate test, maybe to prove our worth" Lara glared at the ground but said nothing.

They paused momentarily to allow the others to catch up before continuing into the next room.

A breath of fresh air greeted them immediately after arrival as well as a natural light. They had emerged into what seemed like a room just below the mouth of the volcano with mirrors placed around the room and a metre wide chasm in a ring around it looking down into the magma and breaking only for a path from the doorway they stood in.

The walked into the circular room and looked around with awe. Lily pulled out the map one last time

"This is it. The X marks the spot. The treasure is in here somewhere"

A new voice joined the conversation "And I thank you wenches for leading us right to it" Lord Tom Riddle said and stepped out of the doorway they just came through along with various other men and one female.

All had their wands pointed at the five pirate females in the room.

**_I love making cliffhangers. It is the fix in my boring everyday life. NO that's a lie but I do love making cliffhangers. And I love Desperate Housewives which I just watched. Man that show rocks! Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty are pretty much the only TV show's I watch on a regular basis. Anyways I hope you enjoyed that chapter and I'll be back with the next installment. Review!_**

_**Silence is...golden. Duct tape is...silver**_

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	23. Selenite Eyes

**_Yay I'm on time finally. I haven't been very good at that lately lol! Anyways here is the next chapter (on time) and I hope you'll enjoy!_**

Chapter Twenty Three

Lily cursed herself for being so bloody stupid as to not notice that they'd been followed.

How could she not have noticed another ship trailing hers?!

She'd been so bloody preoccupied with the Marauders and that map that she'd didn't pay the slightest attention to the Emerald Shadow's defense. Some captain she'd made. Even Beryl-no _Anastasia _now- would have made a better captain.

That was until she caught of the treacherous bitch herself standing beside Lord Riddle, pointing a wand at them and looking very pleased with herself.

"Traitor" Lily spat. Anastasia twirled her wand in her fingers like a baton

"I should be the one saying that to you. After all you did betray me, throw me off my ship and ruin my chances for captaincy"

"Well you were a terrible team player" Lara mocked.

"SILENCE WENCH!" Anastasia screeched suddenly. Even the lackey's pointing the wands winced. Tom rested a threatening hand on her wrist

"You're so much less irritating when your mouth is not open" he said in a sugary voice that held a deadly undertone. Anastasia beamed prettily at him but stayed silent.

"I told you she had sex hair" Lara commented to Lily. Anastasia turned red with fury but obeyed Tom, out of fear or love it was not known.

"Astounding how you can make uncouth comments even whist facing the wrong end of a wand Lady Malfoy" Tom commented. Lara smiled sarcastically at him

"Tis a gift milord" she said, the picture of a demure maiden.

Tom returned her smile "Indeed"

Lily looked at her black-haired first mate "Lara, it is not proper etiquette to call a man by a title he does not deserve"

Tom narrowed his eyes. With a flick of his wand the five women were bound in ropes on the ground. He strode towards the red-head and with another flick she was suspended in midair face to face with him, green eyes glaring. Almost gently he caressed her cheek. Lily flinched away from the contact.

"Such beauty wasted" he pondered aloud. "Fair skin, hair the colour of blood and such a unique green for eyes. Then lips…the colour a little too pale for my liking" he bit down hard on Lily's mouth turning the lips a deep scarlet.

For the first time since she climbed aboard the Emerald Shadow when she was nine, Lily wished for a man to save her. Or at least one man in particular.

"Much better" Tom said, smugly looking down at his work.

"You're despicable" Lily hissed between clenched teeth.

"According to public opinion _you_ are the one who is despicable due merely to the fact that you are a pirate. A female one at that. Why, such a thing has never been heard of"

"Because most of the general public is deaf to that which they do not wish to hear"

"Part of the reason why my…_exploits_, you could say, have been ignored. Because the people simply do not want to hear about the ugly deaths that plague their town. But they will see my efforts eventually. I will be known as the one who cleansed the world of the more undesirable individuals"

"What? Muggleborns?" Lily half yelled.

"Not only the mudbloods my dear girl, also the filth that conceived them. Think about it, a world full of only wizards with none of the superstitious beings called muggles. We wouldn't have to hide for fear of being hunted. Wizards would be free to pursue their full potential" Loud cheering came from his supporters.

"But without the muggle's we wouldn't survive! We need them to boost the magical populace" Lily protested.

Tom looked back at her "Nonsense. We don't want their blood polluting ours do we?"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" this came from Lucius Malfoy. Lara looked up at him from her position on the floor

"Are you suggesting we interbreed Lucius?" she demanded "Because I'm telling you now, there is no way in HELL I am marrying you" both cousins shuddered at that point.

"Wizards need to interbreed with muggles or else we'd die out. The amount of interbreeding would shorten the amount of magical people. Why else do you think there are so many squibs in pure blooded families?" Lily said loudly to get Tom's attention.

"They are unnatural birth deflects and have nothing to do with pure blooded families intermixing. Besides…" he paused for maximum power "we would kill them too" Lily gasped and the death eaters laughed along with Tom. He stopped and they cut off as suddenly as him.

"To do this however I need the power that the treasure can give me. To get the power I need you to give the treasure to me"

"You came in a few seconds after we did. We never got a chance to get the treasure" Lily answered truthfully.

Tom rubbed his chin "No, I suppose that you wouldn't be smart enough to hide it either. Perhaps the map?" he reached down one hand into Lily's top. Over his shoulder Lily could see Anastasia getting redder and redder with fury, the many death eaters surrounding her beginning to edge away.

"Your lover is starting to get jealous" she said smugly. Tom rolled his eyes as he pulled out the map and unrolled it

"As if I would care what the wench thinks. She's outlived her purpose" he said loudly.

Anastasia flinched. Ruby saw this as her chance

"Anna, my sister, my friend" she called softly. Tom gave no sign of hearing her as he intently studied the map and the script on the side.

Ruby continued "Help us. He does not care for you. I was your friend once-"

"And you abandoned me at first chance" Anastasia hissed turning to face her old friend

"For gods sake Anastasia" Ruby hissed back "You were attempting to start a mutiny! You know as well as I do that the deepest circle of hell is set apart for those who have committed that very crime. See this chance as your redemption. Please"

Anastasia bit her lip. They still appeared to be unnoticed by Tom.

"We fought together, we laughed together, we were the best of friends. Does that not mean anything to you?" Ruby whispered furiously.

Anastasia's lips moved softly and silently. Her eyes blinked in fresh tears. Finally she nodded and crept silently forward to untie her old friend.

Tom tutted his tongue without looking up "I did say you were expendable did I not?" he wondered out loud. Anastasia froze

"_Avada Kedavra_" there was a flash of green light and she fell, a metre away from Ruby who screamed, tear running down her face.

"_It can only be found when the sunsets_" Tom quoted, unaffected by the death of his former lover "Bella, exactly how long is it until sunset?"

A dark haired woman, carrying the Black families traditional beauty stepped forward. She licked her lips in one lavish stroke

"In about thirteen minute's time" she purred.

Tom nodded "Very well, I can wait"

"Do you know what the treasure is?" Lily asked curiously.

Tom laughed darkly "I wouldn't be chasing after it if I didn't. It is the one gift I treasure above all, the thing that would make my reign complete and permanent. For in the treasure is…_immortality_" There was a stunned silence which Lara characteristically broke

"How in the bloody hell do you keep immortality as the treasure. Do you find the treasure and you immediately become immortal? Or is there some sort of spell to give you immortality?"

Tom's attention shifted to her "Lucius, your cousin is extending her loud-mouthed tendencies again" Lucius flushed and sent a glare to Lara.

"But" Tom continued "I shall tell you. According to the information I have acquired, in this very room is hidden a chest. A Pandora's Box in sorts. The opener of said chest will acquire the immortality"

They waited in silence for the remaining minutes until a burly man pointed out the impending sunset. Tom stood up and strode to the middle of the room to get the best view out of the volcano head. He watched the sun sinking with rapt attention as did his death eaters.

Nothing seemed to happen.

"Why is nothing happening?!" Tom snarled, he started to walk over to Lily. But just at that moment the sun hit a certain angle and reflected onto one of the small circular mirror's placed around the room.

The beam bounced off that mirror onto another, onto another, onto another, onto the floor in the middle of the room, exactly where Tom had been standing. The room was filled with light from the beams and the area on the floor began to glow, a faint shape forming within the circle.

With a shock Lily realised that the shape was a cross with a loop at the top, an ankh exactly the same shape and size as the pendant on the necklace Perenelle Flamel had given her.

Nothing happened.

The circle stayed the same, with a glowing ankh in the middle of the beam yet nothing else changed. Tom's awed smile slid off his face.

"WHY IS NOTHING HAPPENING?!" he raged again.

"Because you need the key" Lily said quietly. Tom spun around to look at her.

"And you have the key?" he asked suspiciously.

Lily nodded. "Well give it to me" he held out a hand.

"In case you've forgotten or are too blind to realise it, we're tied up" Lara called out from behind him.

Tom didn't answer her, his eyes centered on the pendant. Lily's stomach fell. With a triumphant smirk he yanked it off her neck and confidently put it on the shape on the beam. He waited in silence.

"I think only I can do it" Lily said after nothing happened again.

Tom snarled "And I suppose that I'll have to untie you for that?!"

"Well you'll have your wand on me so it won't matter" Lily cut in reasonably.

Tom seethed but flicked his wand to untie her and threw the ankh necklace to her ungraciously. Lily caught it and slowly walked forward.

Her eye's flicked to Onyx for a second and she knelt before the beam of light still shinning brightly.

Carefully she knelt downwards and placed the ankh exactly where the shape in the beam was.

It started to glow as well, Lily shielded her eyes from the glare and Tom's grin grew again. A hissing sounded and the piece of floor with the circular beam on it sunk into the ground.

With quivering hands Lily reached into the hole and pulled out a small chest that seemed to pulse with different colours.

"Amazing" she breathed standing up and cradling the chest in her hands. Tom let loose a victorious laugh

"Yes!" he crowed. He held out his hands to Lily eagerly

"Give it to me now and I'll consider making your death painless"

Lily reached down slowly and put the chest on the ground in front of her and Tom reached out for it.

A number of things happened just then; Onyx stood up from having spent the last ten minutes fraying her rope until it broke,

she then grabbed her wand and freed Lara, Shaiera and Ruby who in turn grabbed their own wands,

Lara sent gold and silver sparks into the sky through the volcane mouth,

Lily took advantage of Tom being momentarily distracted and kicked the chest spinning into one of the chasm's rimming the room where it fell into lava below.

All hell broke loose.

**_I should really say dum…Dum…DUM… right now. But I use that phrase far too often. I'm really supposed to be in bed as of fifty three minutes ago and my mother will throw a fit but I really wanted to get this chapter up on time. So I hope you enjoyed it and please review ECT. _**

**_I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it…_**

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

_**XXX**_


	24. Morion Eyes

**_I'm back and I have a chapter absolutely chockablock with action and character deaths. How depressing. Anyways I hope you review and I'll see y'all next week. Enjoy!_**

Chapter Twenty Four

_Lily reached down slowly and put the chest on the ground in front of her and Tom reached out for it_

_.A number of things happened just then; Onyx stood up from having spent the last ten minutes fraying her rope until it broke,_

_She then grabbed her wand and freed Lara, Shaiera and Ruby, who in turn grabbed their own wands,_

_Lara sent gold and silver sparks into the sky through the volcano mouth,_

_Lily took advantage of Tom being momentarily distracted and kicked the chest spinning into one of the chasm's rimming the room where it fell into lava below._

_All hell broke loose._

"No!" Tom yelled running after the falling chest in vain.

The item that held the end of mortality dropped straight down until with it hit the lava with a slight slapping noise.

The different colours that seemed to pulsate out of the chest suddenly flared blindingly and Tom, who was leaning pathetically over the edge, covered his eyes.

The first step in his plan to rule had been smashed, or melted rather, by a pirate. A _female _pirate.

He turned snarling to the scene that had been going unnoticed behind him. Several of the Death Eaters he had brought with him were lying on the ground either unconscious or worse.

Tom didn't care about them, his thoughts were solely focused on the red-headed woman in front of him, blasting away Tom's men like they were merely irritating fly's.

Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange were watching the lesser Death Eaters being easily repelled by the five women with barely contained amusement.

"Pathetic fools" the blonde spat, Bella cackled in agreement.

"Bella love, why are you just standing about?" Lara called out from across the room.

Bella's smile grew "Why, I'm just waiting for a turn with you my dearest Lara"

"Wands or swords?"

"Hmm, how about both?"

"Sounds fine to me Bella"

They simultaneously unsheathed their cutlasses and with the swords in one hand and their wands in the other they strode forward towards each other, engaging in a duel of sparking metal and wood.

Tom ignored that in favour of storming towards Lily with his wand outstretched. Lucius noticed his master and hurried up to his side,

"Leave the lesser subordinates to fight them master, we needn't dirty ourselves for that which could be done by beings below us"

Tom paused briefly in his stride to face the Malfoy "Don't presume to tell me what I need and needn't do _servant_!" he hissed. Lucius bit down on his lip to stop the automatic response that he, as a Malfoy would give to anyone but Lord Riddle if they spoke to him like that.

"…and do not delusion yourself by thinking yourself on the same level as me on any account. You will never match up to me. Now go and fight you cowardly swine"

Lucius's lip curled but he harshly picked up his wand and sent a deep purple curse at Shaiera who dodged it just in time. With another resentful look at his masters back, Lucius stalked towards his prey.

This time without interruptions, Lord Tom Riddle started towards Captain Lily Evans, who by then had noticed and drawn her own wand.

"Bitch…Whore…_Pirate_" he hissed through clenched teeth.

Lily raised an insolent eyebrow "Have you not heard the children's verse? Sticks and stones _Mr_ Riddle" she said forsaking his title.

"It's Lord Riddle you audacious wench and you would do well to remember it… _Igneus Viscus_!" Lily dropped and rolled, the curse flying over her head and hitting an unfortunate Death Eater whose flesh turned an unpleasant shade of mustard and started to burn.

He screamed in agony and ran around trying to dispel the feeling of his skin melting. His efforts made him run off the chasm's rimming room where the treasure chest had fallen and so he too fell to his death. Tom barely blinked an eye. Lily was disgusted

"How can you not feel pity for a man who is part of your crew, a man whose death you just caused?"

Tom's red eyes gleamed "Why should I care about the fool? If he was stupid enough to get caught by a spell not aimed at him then he is not deserving to be part of my Death Eaters"

Lily's eyes burned slightly with tears of outrage for that man, despite the fact that he was trying to kill her, he didn't deserve to die like that at the hands of his leader who didn't even care.

She blinked away the tears, they would only be a disadvantage and in this battle she needed all the advantages she had to stay alive. She raised her own wand and shot a spell at Tom who produced a shield effortlessly to block it.

The room was hardly big enough for the amount of people fighting and every so often a death eater would fall over the side into the lava.

Bellatrix and Lara were spinning around the room joined by cutlass and colliding spells in some sort of deadly dance, the pain in Lara's lag forgotten for now.

Shaiera was, with great effort, trying do dodge each of Lucius's attacks with one hand over a bleeding gash in her wand arm that had had lost her the wand she was fighting with and had almost lost her the wand.

Onyx was fighting off several death eaters at once with her sword, most of the death eaters she was fighting were too nervous to get too close.

Ruby was duelling with a couple of her own who had closed in and were subtly herding her in the direction of the chasm surrounding the room. Yet somehow they all fitted around each other with scarce incidents where they collided with each other.

Like a seesaw the odds flickered between Lily's crew of five and the death eaters. Then by fault of Lucius Malfoy, the odds tipped firmly downwards in the pirates favour and kept on tipping till they crashed.

* * *

Shaiera was white and shaky; the attack Lucius had made on her arm had left her defenceless and weakened by blood loss. Her movements became sluggish and muddled causing her to make mistakes. Lucius's smirk grew as he sensed that victory was near.

Now he was just playing with her.

"_Crucio_" a small tripping roll to the right "_Malum Contemno_" and a stumble to the left.

The girl was as easy to control as a puppet. But we all know what happens when puppets are used too much

…they break.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" Shaiera tried to move but the blood loss and constant movement had weakened her body to the point where it just gave up. She watched unfocusedly as the green light hit her body as she fell to the ground for the last time.

'Damn, she broke' Lucius thought depressed at the loss of his temporary amusement.

* * *

Lara watched frozen as the sweetest person she knew fell at the hands of her cousin. A red hot rage consumed her

"Salaud!" she screamed, her battle with Bellatrix forgotten for the moment. Bad decision.

A scarlet red curse hit her in the back and she collapsed with blood running from her eyes, nose and mouth and her body seized up. Bellatrix watched frowning as the purple eyed woman lay on the ground.

Unfortunately she actually liked Lara Malfoy.

They played together when they were little, before the Malfoy family's murder of Lara's mother for opposing the betrothal of Lara with the Black heir had made Lara leave and become part of the crew of the Emerald Shadow.

This was the first time Bella had seen her in nearly ten years. The duelling was fun, a reminiscence of the hours they had spent play fighting and pretend duelling when they were small. Before the death, before the fighting that followed and before twelve year old Lara Malfoy had run away.

Bellatrix stared at the convulsing body of her childhood companion and made a decision. Swiftly and unnoticed, she bent down and twirled her wand in a complicated pattern whispering "_Solvo Vomica…Vigoratus Detrimentum_" a clear lilac light flowed from her wand tip into Lara's body.

The seizure stopped and the blood ceased to flow though it still coated her face. Her purple eyes shot open for a second before focussing on the witch above her.

"B-Bella…" she said softly.

"You don't owe me a wizard's debt. This was for old time's sake only. Next time we come face to face I won't be so merciful" she whispered harshly.

Lara gave a ghost of a smile "I wouldn't expect any different Bella" before closing her eyes in exhaustion.

Bellatrix stood up as if nothing had happened, ignoring the gaze of Lucius on her back, she watched the other fighters.

* * *

Ruby halted when she saw the death of another of the people she could call her friends.

"Shaiera" she whispered with tears pouring down her cheeks. She stole another glance at the corpse of Anastasia Hart, her own best friend. She watched as Lara yelled out and was hit by some sort of blood red curse.

One by one her friends seemed to be killed. Soon it would be Onyx and Lily who were still fighting away.

Ruby wasn't fighting. Her will to survive had left her as soon as she saw Anastasia's body.

Now she was just fighting on automatic without really realising what she was doing. She paused and looked at her opponents: a burly, stupid looking one and a boy with hair the colour of straw. They approached her; curious to know why she stopped fighting.

"Life and death, death and life. It's all the same. Why would I fight when so many have fallen? What right do I have to live on when they haven't? When Anna hasn't. What right do I have?" she looked at her opponents as if they could answer the question. The dim one that looked like a baboon's arse blinked stupidly.

She transferred her red eyed gaze to the blonde boy who looked familiar. Her eyes appraised him when she realised that the boy was in fact Bartholomew Crouch Jr. She smiled softly, if only he could see his son now.

"What right do I have?" she asked again.

The boy looked over her "None" he replied.

She kept that soft smile even as his spell flung her over the edge of the chasm.

* * *

Onyx dropped her sword and watched.

The small chirpy brown haired Ruby, the one who's mind could do long division as naturally as breathing had just practically asked for her death. Onyx never knew the link between friends, between best friends.

She was the muscle, the one that stood in the background, the one replied upon for protection. And she had failed.

She had failed to protect Shaiera, she had failed to protect Lara and she had failed to protect the small girl with eyes as red as the lava she fell into. She had failed to protect those she was bound to and now she had no one.

Then her eyes caught sight of her captain fighting bravely against a man whose power was infinitely stronger.

Maybe she did have someone to protect.

Her black eyes narrowed and she looked at the death eaters before her. They all gulped as she gave a ringing roar and charged right through them as angry as a bull. She bowled them over effortlessly and the way was clear once more.

She leapt over the still body of Turquoise, skated around the unconscious one of Amethyst and with one giant leapt, tackled her captain to the ground.

The green light meant for Lily hit the burly woman instead.

* * *

Lily watched as Tom said the words meant for her final goodbye. She closed her eyes and sent a thought to James.

He wouldn't know what happened to her.

He wouldn't know how much she loved him.

Her eyes flashed open and she watched the green light, the same colour as her eyes, come towards her. Then she was bowled over by a carriage.

No, not a carriage.

Onyx!

As her head hit the ground, caged underneath the body of a warrior woman, unconsciousness was inevitable.

**_Personally I think that's my best Cutlass chapter yet. I gave a lot of insight into the characters…then killed most of them off! I love Bellatrix so I gave her a slight merciful side when it came to dealing with someone she'd known and adored as a child. I also revealed the reason for Lara's mother's death and how she came to be here. Also the thing with the engagement to the Black heir. I did mention in some chapter that Sirius was betrothed to a girl he'd never met. Anyways I've got to go now and I hope you enjoyed my massacre as much as I enjoyed writing it lol._**

**_The best friend is the one who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake…_**

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

**_XXX _**


	25. Mystic Topaz Eyes

**_Second to last chapter!! OMG wow! This will be the first fic I finish and golly it's been a long shot. This chapter is extra long so enjoy!_**

Chapter Twenty Five

Lily stirred in a fitful, nightmare filled sleep.

She was curled up against something warm and she could vaguely hear the rhythmic thumping of a heart beneath her. The air was cold though the body she was pressed against kept her fairly warm.

It smelt dank, rotten with the faintest stench of waste and humans kept in too close contact for too long. She carefully and meticulously opened one eye, then the other.

Green met purple. It took her a few seconds of confused blinking before her befuddled mind caught up with her.

"Lara" she croaked, sitting up slightly.

"How are you doing Red?" Lara whispered back, sweeping Lily's sweat drenched hair from her tired face.

"Like I've been bowled over by several Graphorns" Lily rubbed her forehead and took a look around at her surroundings.

They were in a small stone room with only a few centimetres of meagre strew separating them from the hard rocky ground. There was a tiny window with bars across it stationed halfway up the wall. The thin grey light coming from it signalled that it was dawn.

A bucket in the corner seemed to serve as the only privy and a slumped man sat snoring outside the barred door. The empty bottle of rum was testimony to how he got that way.

Lily wrinkled her nose at the odour of booze and the stench of someone that hasn't had a bath in a long while that washed off him in waves.

"We're in jail aren't we?" she asked her cell mate, looking at her properly for the first time.

Lara's black hair was tangled and grimy as it hung around her face, her eyes looked tired and there were purple bags under her eyes. Lily supposed she didn't look much better herself. She ran one hand through her hair and winced as it caught on knots. Lara's lips curved into a small smile, a mere echo of her usual one.

"Once again Emerald you stun me with your awesome powers of deducting the obvious" though there wasn't much, if any, spirit put into the dig.

"How long have you been awake?"

"About two days. I didn't trust the jailer"

"How long have we been asleep?"

Lara bit her lip "Nearly a month. We had stasis charm put on us whilst we were on Tom bloody Riddle's ship. We were frozen in time without need of food, water or other bodily requirements. The good news is that it's given time for our bodies to heal from whatever injuries we obtained when battling. I only know this because that guy," she stabbed a finger at the drunken guard "is a talkative drunk"

Lily closed her eyes briefly "I see. And the other's? What of them? Are they in a different cell?"

Silence met her query. Lily's green eyes flashed open

"Well?" she demanded.

Lara looked hard at the ground "They're not in a different cell"

"Have they gotten away?"

"They're gone"

"Gone where?"

"Lily…" Lara cast a depressed glance over at the pirate captain who was staring back with clear denial written in her features "They were all killed during the fight"

"Shaiera?"

"Lucius got her with Avada"

"Ruby?"

"Barty junior banished her over the edge of the chasm"

"Onyx?"

"Sh-she died by a killing curse sent by Riddle himself" Lily sat stone still, she didn't move when Lara reached out a comforting hand.

"The curse was meant for me wasn't it?" she asked quietly. Lara winced

"ANSWER ME LARA" Lily bellowed suddenly.

"Yes…but it wasn't your fault"

"Oh save it. If I hadn't been so stupid as to not have noticed we were being followed…if I had only been a bit more careful…If I had acted like a captain…" she let the sentence hang unfinished "This is all my fault. I killed them. I killed Onyx. She died by my fault"

Lara's eyes blazed "Cut the pity bullshit Red, it doesn't suit your persona. Onyx would have wanted to die protecting you or any one of us. That's who she was and that's how she wanted to die. You know it as well as I do. What she wouldn't have wanted. What Shaiera and Ruby wouldn't have wanted is for you to blame yourself for their deaths. If you need someone to take the fault then hold responsible the person who really did kill them. The person who's fault it is that we're here in this cell. Blame Tom Marvolo Riddle!"

Lily stayed silent, a strange expression on her face. Abruptly she let out a crazed laugh

"You're right. Oh what am I thinking? You're always right; you just have an overly odd way of showing it"

"I don't know whether to be flattered or offended" Lara comment dryly though there was the spark back in her violet eyes.

Lily jumped up, suddenly hit with a jolt of energy. Though her appearance was still haggard, she glowed with an inner energy that came out in her eyes causing them to glow green, it shimmered in her hair turning it into a flashing mass of flame, it glowed within her drained face.

And despite her grime streaked appearance, if James Potter had been there at that very moment he would have thought that she never looked more beautiful.

To which he would have gotten a smack on the head and murmured in retribution that of course she always looked beautiful; he was just saying she looked especially nice.

"I am Lily Evans, Captain Emerald of the female pirate ship The Emerald Shadow. There is no way that puffed-up, sadistic murdering traitor of a provost will get one over on me" Lara also jumped up, keyed up by Lily's outburst.

"Hell yeah!" she cheered happily "Have you got a plan"

Lily visibly deflated "No"

"Damn"

"You said it" They sat down again, not energetic yet no longer in the melancholy they were in before.

"Is there anyway out of these cells?" Lily asked after a moment's silence.

Lara shrugged "Apparently 'Lord' Riddle has had them subtly crafted to be resistant to magic. So no accidental or wandless magic can help us. The lock can only be opened by a set of keys according to Gilbert, that's the smashed git over there by the way"

"And these keys are…"

Lara got a wicked smirk on her face "Why with the drunkard himself"

Both women looked over towards Gilbert the guard who let out an extra large snore as if he felt their impious gaze on him. He was, they calculated, about three feet away with the keys hanging loosely in his hand. Unfortunately neither of their arms reached that far.

"But we shan't give up" Lara whispered for fear of waking the man. The only thing in the cell was straw, not even a blanket to sleep on.

Lily took off one of the hoops in her ears but she still couldn't reach. Her eyes caught sight of the indigo coloured bandanna tied around Lara's head in an attempt to tame the curls somewhat.

"Lara, take it off"

Lara raised an eyebrow "Well Lily, I know we're possibly the last people we're going to see once Riddle come to execute us but really, I do only think of you as a friend"

Lily rolled her eyes "Don't be a fool in untimely circumstances. I mean take off your bandanna"

"Oh, right" frowning, Lara did as she was told and passed the material to the scheming red head. Lily unfolded the silky cloth into a large square.

She then began twisting it diagonally with Lara watching perplexed as the bandanna became a long yard of twisted indigo material. Lily attached the semi-hoop earring to one end and held it up triumphantly. Lara stared at it

"It's a…piece of material with an earring attached to it?"

Lily shook her head "No, it's what's going to get us out of here"

"I never would have guessed" Lara murmured to herself.

"Watch and learn" Lily said confidently as she poked her arm through the bars of the cell door and swung the bandanna around a few times before letting it fly towards Gilbert. The earring on the end hooked around the ring of the key's in his hand.

With a gentle tug they slid free onto the floor with a slight jingle. The two in the cell waited with baited breath, the man gave another deafening snore but didn't wake. With a sigh of relief Lily pulled the bandanna towards her again with the earring pulling the ring of keys into her hands.

Lara gave her a backbreaking hug "Genius Lily! I never knew you were so wily…in the nicest way possible"

"Thank you…I guess" Lily replied as she gave back the bandanna to Lara and put her earring back into her ear.

"Here goes nothing" she said as she carefully twisted her arm around through the cell bars and put the key into the lock. Turning it carefully she heard a satisfying 'click'.

"Fabuleux" Lara complimented in French behind her as she carefully opened the door, wincing at every creak the unoiled hinges made. The guard continued to sleep as they crept past him into the empty hallway.

Lara stopped "Do you ever get the feeling that things are way too easy?" she asked. Lily opened her mouth to reply but a cultured tone cut across her.

"Yes I do feel that often, but perhaps that's just myself" The two women turned around slowly as the man under an invisibility cloak revealed himself. "For example I was going to have to go inside that grotty prison in order to bring you out but I see now that you've done that already. I really should thank you for making life easier for me"

Lily and Lara continued to look at him without saying anything.

The man laughed "Oh come now, you didn't really think that I'd leave you alone with only a mere muggle drunk as a guard did you?"

"We were banking on it" Lara found her voice.

Tom regarded her evenly "Then you are even more imprudent than I originally thought, Lady Malfoy. Now it's a good thing that you let yourselves go when you did for I was just about to go get you"

"For what? To commend us on stopping your attempts at gaining immortality" Lily asked acidly.

Tom's eyes darkened "No, I have not forgotten about that. But do not be so foolish as to think that the treasure of Amrah was my only option to gain what I desired"

"And when you do find your other means, I will be there to stop you" Lily hissed.

Tom laughed darkly "Oh no you won't be there at all dear little Lily, for today will surely see of that" Lily began to get a weird feeling in her stomach.

Tom leant closer "It's a good thing that today was the day you woke up sleeping beauty. You wouldn't want to miss your hanging" with a snap of his fingers more guards suddenly appeared wearing the vivid red uniforms of the English guard.

They caught the two pirates in a restraining hold and lead them outside onto a large court stationed on a cliff above the sea.

A large crowd awaited for the pirates to come blinking into the early morning sunshine. It seemed the whole of London had come to see the elusive female pirates.

Even the weather seemed to be celebrating with clear skies and a fresh ocean breeze. As soon as they were in view the crowd began to jeer and yell, stamping their feet and moving forward only to be restrained by the men in uniform.

A path was formed to a wooden structure with two nooses hanging from it and silently the two women were escorted along, past the taunting crowd towards the structure and towards death. They were separated to go up stairs on either side Lara to the right and Lily to the left.

They were reunited at the top, on the structure as they stood facing each other while the nooses were tied around their necks. Lara offered a weak smile to her best friend who returned it.

"Just in the grasps of victory when it all comes crashing down eh? And next thing you know, we're standing here in front of bloody England who's about to watch us hang. Fate has a nasty way of spitting in your face" Lara sighed and glanced down at the crowd.

"But seeing as we're just standing here I'm going to just come out and say, there's no one I'd rather hang by my side than you Lara" Lily smiled at Lara who smiled back, a small giggle making it's way out of her throat.

"Since I'm assuming that's a compliment, I'm passing the same to you Lily. You are the best captain, leader and friend a pirate could have. I love you Emerald"

"I love you too Amethyst"

"I hate to interrupt," Tom said in a tone that suggested he loved interrupting their heartfelt goodbyes "But I thought you should know the programme; we read your charges then-" he made a hanging action with a smirk on his face. "Your bodies will either be taken to traitor's hill or more likely, since I'm feeling extra vindictive this evening; I'm will hang your bodies on the entry to the harbour to serve the duel purpose of being a warning to other pirates and to embarrass any family members you happen to have living."

He gave a glance down; Lily followed his gaze to two women and a man standing at the front of the crowd, haughty expressions on their faces. The man was fat with dark hair combed and slicked with grease and a ridiculous moustache on his face, the women clutching his arm seemed to be a polar opposite with a horsy face and blonde hair half covered by an enormous blue hat.

A lone woman stood a few feet away from the couple, looking up into Lily's green surprised eyes. Her own eyes were a steely grey in colour which matched the streaks marring the natural blood red in her hair. Lara looked down as well and laughed

"Oh look Lily, Your mother has come to join in on the festivities. It's not everyday you get to go to your own daughters hanging party"

Lily snorted and turned her gaze away from her mother "I bet she'll be serving tea afterwards and moaning about how I will never learn how to hold a teacup properly now" they both laughed harshly while Tom stood by civilly. A slow drum beat began to play and he visibly perked up

"Oh look, there's my cue to start reading the charges. Enjoy your last moments"

A black cat trotted onto the wooden construction and wound its way around Lara's legs. She smirked

"Oh we will" She exchanged glances with Lily and the black cat purred once more and leapt away. Many gave it a wide berth while whispering about bad luck to their neighbours.

Tom stood pompously in front of the structure with a large scroll in his hands; he straightened his powdered white wig before starting.

"Lily Evans and Lara Malfoy, be that your names?"

Lara rolled her eyes "You know they are Tom, You just spoke to us a few minutes earlier"

"You are here today, charged for your wilful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most flagrant of these to be cited as piracy. _Female _piracy to be exact" he added with a nasty sneer on his lips. The crowd booed and hissed.

"You are also guilty of smuggling, sailing under false colours, arson, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul" the last sentence was spoken with obvious jest. Many in the crowd laughed.

The drum started again, faster and faster and the tension drew nearer and nearer.

"Well, it's been nice knowing you" Lara said nonchalantly.

Lily mirrored her smirk "Yes, we've had some fun times" the bailiff reached for the leaver that would drop the platform floor beneath them.

The drums reached a crescendo, beating faster and faster till the drumsticks were merely a blur.

The bailiff's fingers touched the lever.

"STOP!" someone bellowed. The bailiff did so blankly, the crowd hushed. Two figures made their way onto the platform.

"It's about bloody time you two showed up" Lara growled, turning her head around to glare at them.

Sirius gave her a gallant bow "I'm dreadfully sorry my fair lady, we got caught up"

"What right have you to stop criminals from getting their rightful justice?" Tom demanded, playing the role of Provost. If he hadn't been ready to expose himself to the muggles, (A/n not like that you dirty minded people) he would have gotten his wand out and blasted them all to kingdom come.

James looked up and realised the crowd was there waiting.

"Oh, right" he cleared his throat "So, I suppose I'm here to speak on behalf of Lily Evans and Lara Malfoy"

"We don't want no pirate speaking to us" a heavily built man yelled from the crowd, shaking his fist. Many around him and in other areas of the crowd murmured their agreement.

"Oh hush up Bill" another older woman called "That be young Lord Potter you're speaking to" there were even more excited mumblings around the crowd and Bill bowed his head in apology for speaking that way to a member of the upper class.

James inwardly groaned; he'd rather not sully his family's name if his plan didn't go well. And this particular plan was bound to go astray.

"Erm, yes that would be me" He said awkwardly, then remembered why he was here and took a more businesslike tone

"Some of you may have noted my absence these last few years. This was not, as the rumour mills say, due to me taking a long vacation overseas. I spent these last few years searching for my younger sister Alexia who, as others may know, went missing nearly four years ago. And it's thanks to these women here" he gestured to the two pirates with nooses round their necks "That I was finally reunited with the only remaining blood relative I have" a general buzz sounded around the crowd with some members giving the pirates calculating looks

"And where, prey tell, did you find your sister has been all this time" Tom Riddle's pleasant tone rang above the crowd. James looked uncomfortable

"Well technically Alexia was with them for that duration"

"Wonderful" Tom replied sarcastically "I can add kidnapping to the charges. These women," he now turned back to the crowd and his voice boomed across them "have been responsible for countless kidnappings for years. They have not paid heed to social status, taking those of noble birth along with peasants to be forced to work on their pirate ship" there were gasps of shock and horror and Tom turned with a satisfied air towards the four on the hanging structure.

The unspoken remark was floating between them. What are you going to do now?

"This is going well" Lara said sarcastically.

"Let me try" Sirius turned to James who shrugged.

"The floor is yours Padfoot"

Sirius licked his lips in a dog like manor before turning to the crowd and giving a smile. Several women swooned dramatically and a couple of males as well.

"Well that's effective" Lily remarked "Try that a few more times and we'll have thinned them out enough to take them"

Sirius shrugged nonchalantly "Well it's true that the crew of the Emerald Shadow recruits new members via night time visits, and it's true that they then train the women to become pirates"

"Perhaps you'd feel more at home with me on the offence side of the court Lord Black" Tom interrupted. Sirius ignored him

"But these women, these pirate women, they have paved the way for a new era. They have taken on what is traditionally a mans position and turned our society upside down. That's why we're persecuting them, because we're not used to having females that dominate males"

"Are you sure it's not just because they're pirates and criminals?" The crowd cheered in agreement for Tom's words though a few stayed silent, deliberating. Sirius however stayed strong

"They have taken the supremacy of our society and made a sham of it. They are idols amongst women, hell I'd even go as far as to say they're _goddesses_" There was a few nervous laughs but the majority stayed silent prompting him to go on

"And when I first came aboard that ship, I admit I was just like you. I scorned women, thought they were meant to be at home birthing or cooking my dinner" more laughs "Then I met these amazing women who didn't fit my quota for females. I even fell in love with one of them! And I'm not ashamed to say it. I'm in love with a pirate. I'm in love with the future of women. And now I'm beseeching you, London, to let her go. To release the future of our society and let her lead our women into their rightful places, as equals to man. I'm asking you to _LET THESE WOMEN GO FREE_!!" He finished with a powerful bow and a flamboyant gesture to Lily and Lara.

"Wow Padfoot I didn't know you had it in you" James praised "That was a powerful speech"

"Did it work" Sirius asked hopefully, his head looking up again.

"Not in the slightest" James replied pessimistically.

The crowd were staring to get angsty, with Tom's gleeful encouragement.

"I guess they're not ready for the future" Sirius said sadly. Some men had even reached for pitchforks and torches.

"Well _that's_ not medieval" Lara said sarcastically.

"Time for plan B"

"You have a plan B?" Lily asked, looking up at James hopefully.

James cupped her face tenderly in his hand "For you my love, I would go through the alphabet"

Lara scowled and kicked Sirius lightly on the leg "Why don't you ever conduct an alphabetical escape plan list for me Sirius?"

"Well I helped write most of these plans. And I did say I loved you in front of that crowd"

"Why does that need any acknowledgement. Is loving me supposed to make you some sort of hero?" she snapped dangerously.

"Shut it Lara" Lily advised "Now's not the time for theatrics. You can punish him later"

"If there is a later" James remarked looking at the crowd who started to close in.

"Now would be a good time for plan B" Lily said hurriedly.

"Good point. For starters" he untied her and helped her pull off the noose. Sirius did the same for Lara.

"Now what?"

"I have no sodding idea, I'm making this up as I go along"

"I do believe it's time to go" Sirius said and pulled Lara off the hanging platform, Lara pulled Lily who pulled James and the line of them pelted towards the exit as fast as they could. The entryway was quickly blocked by men in red

"Seize them!" Tom bellowed from behind them. They dodged the guards and ran towards the edge of the courtyard; a cliff that overlooked the sea.

"Lily, what are the possibilities of the rocks at the bottom hitting us if we happened to fall?" Lara asked breathlessly.

"I have no bloody idea but I'm willing to take my chances" Lily replied and sprinted towards the edge.

"Don't we get a say in this" Sirius yelped behind them

"Say, do you want to live or die?" Lara asked and pulled him over the edge with her.

They landed with a splash, miraculously missing the rocks. But then again, fate did owe them something.

They broke the surface gasping and above them, Tom Riddle ordered his men down to the docks. After all they'd have to where to go but shore.

Or did they?

From around the cliff corner came a ship heading towards the swimmers. Proudly it stated its pirate's status in the large black and white Jolly Roger. The four in the ocean began to swim towards it and were pulled onto the deck once they reached the ship.

"Alright captain?" Chalcedony asked concerned "Where are the others?"

"Just set sail, explanations can come later" she walked to the upper deck and gazed at the furious figure of Tom Riddle on the shore.

"TILL WE MEET AGAIN RIDDLE!" she bellowed, the waves carrying her voice. With a smile she turned back to her crew.

Her crew, including James Potter, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.

Her crew of the Emerald Shadow.

**_Ta ra ra!! And it's almost finished, I have to epilogue to go then I'm done. Yay and I will start my new HP story as soon as I got he details worked out so look out for that. It's been a long road, tough but I've almost completed it. We've gone through deaths and treasure maps and all that jazz and now we're drawing to a close. Closing the curtains, goodnight ladies and gentlemen. _**

**_We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give…_**

_**Love Lady Topaz**_

**_XXX _**


	26. Emerald Eyes again

**_Well this is the last chapter, a sort of loose ends tiding up thing. And I'm done. Yay! In case you haven't noticed I've changed my name as well. It could be in celebration but really I just liked it better! The end of Cutlass yet I will be starting my new story once I get my other stories up to date. It's been fun writing this and it'll be fun writing new stories in the future. I guess this is goodbye (sob) but it's not really the end. It's more of a new beginning (I'm terrible at goodbye speeches) so bye. Fairwell. Adios and all that jazz. This is the last chapter of Cutlass, enjoy! _**

An epilogue of sorts

_Some amount of time later…_

Almond shaped eyes, the exact shade of emeralds, stared up at the pirate flag of the ship Emerald Shadow with immediate adoration. The owner of the eyes let out a happy gurgle.

"Yes Harry" Lara cooed, picking the baby up and pointing to the sails "That's the Jolly Roger. A must for all self respecting pirate ships. Can you say Jolly Roger?"

"Sweet, he's not even a year old. He can't talk" Sirius chided "And you shouldn't be carrying anything at the moment" Lara poked her tongue out at him and rearranged Harry to sit over the bump protruding from her stomach

"Just because you knocked me up…"

"As I recall it was a mutual effort" Sirius replied dryly and stole his godson from her, swinging the baby into his own arms "Isn't that right little Prongs junior" Harry gave another happy burble

…and promptly vomited down Sirius's top.

Lara cracked up as he looked downwards with a shocked and repulsed expression on his face. He looked Harry right into the eyes; Harry gave a toothy smile and drooled.

"You know what? Forget all the nice thing I said about you kid. You're not a prodigy child, you are a drooling, diabolical, son of a-" he cut himself off and looked straight ahead with a frightened expression on his face "-a beautiful and lovely captain" he amended quickly and plastered a beaming smile on his face for good measure.

Lily raised an eyebrow, and her cutlass "Just be glad that you are holding my son Black. If Harry wasn't there…" she let the sentence hang.

Sirius gulped and clutched Harry closer "My dear sweet godson, light of my day, OW!" Harry clutched a handful of Sirius's hair in his chubby hands.

"I though_ I_ was the light of your day Siri" Lara said deceptively pleasantly "I mean, I'm the one who's been carrying **your** child for the last eight and a half months. I'm the one who has **your **child playing quiddich with her kidneys, the one who needs to go to the bathroom forty seven times a day because of **your** child pressing on her bladder, the one who's feet and back ache from carrying **your**child, the one who can't fit into her clothing because of **your** child's weight"

"Come now dearest, it can't be _that_ bad" Sirius said ignorantly.

Lily and Lara glared at him "Yeah it is!" they said together.

"I'm fat" Lara said, prodding her formally flat stomach in a depressed manner.

"Aww, you're not fat" Alexia said comfortingly, coming up behind Lily with Delia. She stole her nephew from Lily to fuss over "After the birth, the weight just falls off"

Lara cast a sulking glance to Lily "Didn't happen to her. If Lily still hasn't gotten her figure back then what hope if there for me?"

Lily looked annoyed "No hope whatsoever. You're doomed to be podgy forever" she snapped. Lara's eyes filled up with tears

"Lily!" Sirius scolded pulling his sobbing wife into his arms "Now look what you've done!"

"I-It's not h-her" Lara hiccupped rubbing her eyes "I-It's th-the Hormones!" she broke down in a new frenzy of bawling.

"Please Lara, don't cry" Lily begged looking down at her shirt in horror "You're going to make me…_lactate_" It was too late; the two milky stains blossomed through her chest.

Alexia bit her lip hard, Sirius covered his eyes, Lara started shaking again but for completely different reasons and Delia just straight out laughed.

"Num-num" Harry held out his arms to his mother as she dabbed at the milk stains. That cracked them up even further.

Lily growled angrily and unbuttoned her top to feed Harry. Sirius glanced up once, turned pale and buried his face in Lara's shoulder. The sound of laughter brought over Remus followed by the newest member of the crew.

Remus had fallen into a deep depression following the news of Shaiera's death. Though slowly everyday he was a little bit more cheerful. A large part in help to the young woman skipping beside him. He turned and smiled at her.

The girl, sporting a violent orange fohawk, turned and beamed back. The second she took her eyes off her path however she tripped over a scrubbing brush. Remus caught her with much practised ease

"Honestly Nymphadora" he teased

"I told you not to call me that!" she growled back. They walked over, with only one more trip for Tonks, to the group congregating on the upper deck.

"I'm sooooo bored" Lara complained.

"Well tough" Lily replied buttoning up her shirt and patting Harry on the back to burp him "When I was pregnant I wasn't allowed to do anything. I had to entrust my ship and all its crew members to _you_"

"And did I do a good job?" Lara pressed proudly.

Lily sighed and rolled her eyes "Yes. Yes you did a good job…with minimal damage"

"And a large amount of help from our Marauder boys" she gave a fond kiss to Sirius.

"Tonks! My darling cousin in law, how goes it in the land of Moon?" she cried upon seeing the free spirited metamorphagus.

"Peachy as always. Though if Remus would stop calling me by that name my fool of a mother gave me everything would be perfect" she said giving Remus a fond peck on the lips "It's astounding what women can come up with when pumped full of painkilling potions"

"Shotgun! I get to choose our baby's name" Sirius said suddenly.

Lara hit him "You can't call a shotgun on a baby's name"

"James did" Remus remarked dryly.

"It was a joint agreement to name Harry after his grandfather" Lily interrupted.

"I still think 'Sirius' would have been a better choice" Sirius muttered.

"You would. Sorry Black but there's no way in hell I was naming Harry after you…maybe next time though"

"What's your baby going to be called Lara?" Alexia asked curiously, poking Lara's stomach. She jumped when the stomach poked back.

"I'm thinking we go with the Black tradition of naming after a star" Sirius replied for Lara, giving her stomach a fond rub.

"That's the downfall of being pregnant" Lily noted.

Lara nodded "Suddenly your stomach becomes public property"

"You belong to me so your stomach and every other part of you belongs to me" Sirius said smugly.

"How does it feel being objectified by a male? Sort of disregards all we stand for doesn't it" Delia asked wryly.

"Ah, but I own him too so it all evens out" Lara gave Sirius a patronizing pat on the head while he was cooing at her belly.

"Padfoot, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were mellowing out in your old years" James said wrapping an arm around his wife and son.

Sirius snorted "You're one to talk James, forgotten already what you were like when the former Evans was up the duff?" James ignored him in favour of picking up Harry and bouncing him up and down. The baby gave a delighted gurgle

"That's my boy" James said proudly and pulled a small lion toy out of his pocket. Harry grabbed on to it delighted

"Look, a Gryffindor through and through"

Lily frowned at her bias husband"Why can't he be a Ravenclaw? He's a very smart baby for his age"

"And a sweetie. Totally Hufflepuff" Alexia tickled her fingers at Harry

"I'm not having my child be one of those brainless idiots" James pulled Harry away and glared at Lara "And don't you even say it"

She blinked innocently "But why not? Harry is just as likely to go in Slytherin as any other house"

She conjured a green glittering snake and sent it dancing in front of Harry who dropped the lion toy and reached out to the snake illusion.

James looked at him horrified "No Harry! Don't listen to her; she's trying to make you go over to the dark side!"

"Oh stop being so overdramatic James" Lily sighed with a smile "We're not going to love him any less, whatever house he gets into"

"Harry's got a whole family to teach him" Sirius chuckled him godson under the chin

"Yeah a whole family to teach him and screw him up"

"Delia" Alexia scolded gently "Of course we're not going to screw him up"

"I pity him. He has a pirate for a mother and a fugitive Lord for a father" Delia replied in a joking way.

James stuck his tongue out at her "It's hardly our fault that Tom Riddle is a sore loser. You know he only outlawed us once we stopped his attempts for the third time"

"And we will continue to stop them" Lily said positively.

"We can't let the system win! Tom Riddle is going down!" Tonks said enthusiastically, hitting the wheel by accident and causing the ship to veer left sharply. Remus pulled her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her to prevent any further mishaps

"Nymphadora" he warned. Tonks turned round and glared at him pointedly, then licked his nose.

Alexia giggled, Delia made a face "Careful Delia, if the wind changes you might get stuck like that" she sung out. Lily and Lara continued arguing

"Forget it" Lily shook her head.

"Can't I even scrub the decks or something? Lily, I am actually offering to scrub the decks"

"And I'll take you up on that offer in two weeks when your baby is born" Lily said stubbornly.

"But I won't want to do it then" Lara wailed pathetically.

James looked at Sirius who looked at James

"She's **your** wife" James said.

'But **you** had experience with it when Lily was with child" Sirius countered.

"And just think" Remus said happily "Only two more weeks of this to go through"

Sirius sighed in relief and James got an evil grin on his face. "…and then the late night feed and diaper changes begin" Sirius froze, eyes wide.

"But" James said kissing the top of Harry's head "I wouldn't trade him for the world. Isn't that right Harry?"

Harry was still looking at the snake and suddenly a strange hissing and spitting noise came from him to the snake which hissed back. All conversation ceased immediately with everyone on board staring shocked at little Harry Potter, now revealed as a parseltongue.

Lara blinked "Well that was unexpected"

**_And I'm done. Caput and finished. Draw the curtain and everybody go home. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and read this story. You guys rock! And Lara just had to get the last word. Um, it was obvious that James, Lily and Sirius and Lara were going to get together. The thing about Remus was about ten chapters into the story I realised that I should have put Tonks into the story instead of another OC (Shaiera) since I'm a Remus/Tonks shipper and all. Anyways this has been fun and awesome and it's the first non-oneshot story that I've finished! Cheers for me. _**

**_The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper…_**

**_Love Queen Cocaine (the newly crowned)_**

_**XXX**_


	27. AN

Hey guys,

It's been ages and I've been busy on other projects and generally improving my writing skills. Upon re-reading Cutlass I saw that the opportunity was there for me to improve the story.  
Frankly the grammar is shoddy; the characters are unrealistic and the plot could use some work. Therefore I'm going to re-write the story until it meets my standards. Cutlass V.2 is now available in my stories.  
I attach a link below and hope to see you there, I'd love your advisement and opinions on the revised version. I'm hoping it will be bigger and better than ever with changes and improvements to your favourite characters.

Rock on,

Queen Cocaine.

www. fanfiction. net/s/5001928/1/ (remove spaces.)


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